Pere Navarro presses further on the DGT’s speed cameras: "The fine is not so much for speeding as for being stupid.

20/10/2026 12:30

Updated to

20/10/2026 12:30

Paying a fine for speeding can result in a cost of up to 600 euros and the loss of six points from one’s driving license. However, the DGT’s director general believes that many of these penalties could be avoided simply by paying attention to road warnings, especially when it comes to fixed speed cameras whose presence is announced in advance.

Pere Navarro has once again spoken out on the criticism directed at these checks, which some drivers question due to their alleged purpose of generating revenue. He did so by using a particularly strong expression he had previously employed to describe those who exceed speed limits despite knowing the location of the devices.

The DGT responds to criticism over speed cameras with controversial statements

In an interview with El Comercio on October 14, coinciding with a DGT executives conference in Oviedo, Navarro defended the use of speed cameras as a preventive tool and said the agency accepts accusations related to revenue collection with some resignation, while reminding that driving too fast increases both the risk and severity of accidents.

The Traffic Officer also emphasized that fixed checkpoints are widely announced, and that any driver has sufficient information to slow down before reaching them, a point he used to justify his claim that “sometimes we say the penalty is not so much for speeding as for being stupid,” referring to those who ignore the warnings and end up getting fined.

Fines of up to 600 euros and six demerit points for exceeding speed limits

The debate also touches on the effectiveness of these devices, as some drivers only slow down in the meters near the radar before speeding up again—a behavior known as the kangaroo effect, which does not represent consistent driving within speed limits and contradicts the preventive purpose of these checkpoints.

In any case, Navarro’s statements do not change the penalty regime established in Annex IV of the Traffic Law, which imposes fines ranging from 100 to 600 euros depending on the recorded speed and the road’s speed limit. Corresponding penalties include a loss of two to six driving points; thus, driving at 150 km/h on a road with a limit of 120 km/h results in a fine of 100 euros, while reaching 191 km/h raises the penalty to 600 euros and six points lost.

In addition, Article 94 allows for a 50% reduction if the fine is paid within 20 calendar days of its notification, although opting for this procedure means giving up the right to submit arguments and does not prevent point deductions. Meanwhile, Article 379 of the Criminal Code imposes criminal penalties on those who exceed the permitted speed by more than 60 km/h in urban areas or 80 km/h on interurban roads, with possible sentences including imprisonment, fines, community service, and loss of driving rights.