Phone camera confusion leads to a hefty fine for this driver

Technology errors can be costly, even when you’re doing nothing wrong

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CJIB image of driver accused of holding a phone while driving
Dutch Central Fine Collection Agency (CJIB) photo of woman accused of holding a phone while driving. | Image credit — CJIB

A Dutch woman is challenging a $500 traffic fine after an automatic camera wrongly flagged her for using a phone behind the wheel. The incident took place in the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch on July 2, when the woman, identified only as Floortje, was driving home after a dental procedure.

Floortje had just undergone wisdom tooth removal and was using an ice pack to ease the swelling on her cheek. According to an interview with Dutch outlet Omroep Brabant, she was surprised to find a 439 euro fine (around $500) issued to her boyfriend’s name. Since she had recently borrowed his car, she immediately checked the notice and was shocked by the accusation.

— Floortje, Dutch driver.

The violation claimed she was holding an "electronic mobile device" while driving. But Floortje insists what she had in her hand was not a phone, but the ice pack. Adding to the irony, she recalled seeing a police car at the time and hoping they would not mistake her for using a phone.

The officers didn’t stop her, but the automatic traffic camera apparently thought otherwise. Fortunately, Floortje was able to obtain the photo used as evidence. Once she reviewed it, she was relieved to see the image clearly showed her actual phone sitting in a holder in front of her — and the ice pack in her hand was visibly much larger than any typical mobile device.

She shared the incident on Instagram, where her friends also found the situation amusing. But Floortje isn’t letting it go:

— Floortje, Dutch driver.

Mistaken identity cases like this one are not new. Back in 2021, a British man named David Knight was fined after a traffic camera confused his license plate "KN19TER" with a woman walking nearby wearing a shirt that read "KNITTER".

As someone who has personally received a wrongful ticket due to a mistaken license plate issue, I understand the frustration. In my case, the issue was resolved once it was clear that the vehicle in the photo looked nothing like mine. These incidents highlight the limits of automation in enforcement. Mistakes do happen, and often a human eye is needed to correct them.

For Floortje, the next step will be to see if Dutch authorities accept her explanation and drop the fine.

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