In 2020, road inspectors from Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) release far more official reports for drivers to ignore the Red Cross. The number of fines increased by 55 percent to 4,920, he writes The Telegraph Wednesday.
By ignoring the Red Cross, 22 arrows and shock absorbers were injured last year, meaning they are being used to protect roadworks and accidents.
Outgoing Minister Cora Van Neuenhuisen (Infrastructure and Water Department) described the Red Cross’s disregard in the newspaper as “dangerous and unacceptable”. “It is a purely criminal act, because you are endangering the lives of others. (…) In addition, 11 road inspector service cars were also hit on the road to protect an accident. Fortunately, all of them survived. But most of them are cars a total loss.”
The Minister announces in The Telegraph That there will be more stringent controls, perhaps with the help of cameras. “Few symbols are easier to understand than the Red Cross.”
An extraordinary investigative officer
Since 2015, Rijkswaterstaat has employed road inspectors, as an Exceptional Investigation Officer (BOA), with additional powers and is permitted to impose fines. In 2019, they issued 3159 fines for ignoring the Red Cross, compared to 1,653 in 2018.
The increase in the number of fines for ignoring the Red Cross may be related to the increase in the number of Boas: now nearly a hundred. Rijkswaterstaat gates also check driving on hard shoulder, stance on hard shoulder, and overloaded trucks.
