Government Plans to Sharply Increase Speeding and Drink-Driving Fines After Record Easter Death Toll

The Portuguese government plans to sharply increase fines for speeding, dangerous manoeuvres, and drink-driving after the Easter road safety operation recorded the deadliest toll in recent memory: 20 people were killed on the country's roads between March 27 and April 16. Interior Minister Luís Neves described the figures as "unacceptable" and said the government would present a package of "strategic measures" within weeks.

Record Easter death toll

The Easter enforcement period, coordinated by the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) alongside the GNR and PSP, deployed thousands of officers across Portugal's motorways, national roads, and secondary routes. Despite the heightened police presence, the fatality count surpassed every Easter operation since modern record-keeping began.

Year-to-date figures paint an equally troubling picture. By early April, Portugal had recorded 133 road deaths in 2026 — 35 more than the same period in 2025. Total accidents reached 41,045, an increase of 5,393 compared to the previous year. Speeding and alcohol remain the two most common contributing factors in fatal crashes, according to ANSR data.

What the government is proposing

The Ministry of Internal Administration is working on several fronts. First, fines for excessive speed — particularly in urban areas and school zones — will be raised significantly, with the exact figures to be announced when the legislative package is finalised. Second, penalties for drink-driving and driving under the influence of drugs will also increase, with repeat offenders facing stiffer consequences.

Perhaps most controversially, the government is considering ending the advance publication of STOP operations. Under current practice, the GNR and PSP announce the dates and general locations of enforcement campaigns ahead of time — a policy designed to deter dangerous driving but which critics say allows offenders to plan around the checks. The Ministry said deterrence should come from the certainty of being caught rather than the publicity of a specific operation.

EUR 224 million investment in road safety

The proposed fine increases come on top of a EUR 224 million investment agreement signed last week between the ANSR and Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), targeting a 50 per cent reduction in road deaths by 2030. The agreement covers infrastructure improvements including road markings, barriers, junction redesigns, and electronic speed monitoring systems on the most dangerous stretches of the national network.

The measures will be incorporated into Portugal's Vision Zero 2030 action plan, which aligns with the EU's goal of halving road fatalities across the bloc by the end of the decade. Portugal's road death rate currently sits above the EU average when adjusted for population, a position the government has called "incompatible with a modern European country."

Practical implications

For drivers in Portugal, the message is clear: expect higher fines, more frequent and less predictable enforcement operations, and a growing network of fixed and mobile speed cameras. Foreign-registered vehicles are not exempt — Portugal's cross-border enforcement agreements with other EU member states allow fines to follow drivers home.