Cyclists caught texting to face €95 fine: report

Those caught texting while cycling after July 1st will face a fine of 95 euros. The Council of Ministers will discuss this proposal by Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure and Water Management on Friday, sources in The Hague confirmed to NOS after reports in AD.

The height of the fine was determined based on the fines that are already applicable for traffic violations by cyclists. People caught cycling under the influence face a 100 euros fine, and skipping a red light could cost a cyclist 95 euros. The fine for texting while driving is much higher at 240 euros. This is because motorists can cause much more damage than a cyclist not paying attention to the road.

The Minister wants to change the law to ban the use of a mobile electronic device while driving any form of vehicle. This wording was carefully chosen to also apply to any new hand-held devices that may be developed in the future. 

When the ban on texting while cycling was first announced in 2016, cyclists' union Fietsersbond raised doubts about whether the police will be able to enforce such a ban.