Calvia.During previous years, fines handed out to foreigners for breaking the Highway Code only served to swell municipal storage space archiving unpaid fines.
Only last year, more than a thousand fines were imposed on foreign drivers with hired cars but the money was never collected as Local Police had no record of how to track culprits down in their country of origin.
Nevertheless, since last May, the fine collection service in Calvia has had much greater success. Once the identity of the driver has been obtained from the car hire company concerned, a letter is sent to the guilty party in English, German, French, Italian and even in Russian, according to nationality, claiming the money due for the fine. According to municipal sources, more than 40 percent of the fines handled through this method were paid voluntarily within the allowed time frame. Those which remain unpaid, are then subjected to a more complex system of tracking via embassies and consulates.
This year, Calvia Council's coffers could be between 50'000 and 60'000 euros heavier as a result of the new detective system. It has also put a stop to the resentment by local residents who in the case that they are fined and don't pay in the allowed time frame, have their bank accounts debited or property confiscated.
In general, if Local Police impose a fine when the driver is present, money is demanded on the spot if the culprit is a foreigner. Last year, Local Police in Calvia handed out a total of 7'960 fines for breaking traffic and other local bylaws. The total should have earned the municipality 520'000 euros, but only 284'000 euros was recovered.
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