Enforcement has also changed. Police no longer need to stop a vehicle in person to issue a fine. The VÉDA Intelligent Road Camera Network, which already tracks speeding and other violations, has been upgraded to detect seatbelt use. In addition, mobile surveillance cameras will monitor compliance.

Previously, fines for not wearing a seatbelt could only be issued if officers physically pulled a car over. Now, violations can be recorded remotely, with the registered owner of the vehicle automatically held liable.

From mid-September 2025, the following fines will apply:

• HUF 20,000 (approx. €52) per unbelted passenger within built-up areas

• HUF 30,000 (approx. €78) outside built-up areas

• HUF 40,000 (approx. €104) on expressways
   

These penalties apply per person and per camera pass. This means that multiple unbelted passengers—or repeated offences caught on different cameras—can quickly add up to steep fines.

Despite years of road safety campaigns, seatbelt use in Hungary remains low. In 2024 alone, police issued more than 200,000 citations for non-compliance. According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), in 2018, 57% of the country’s 468 road fatalities involved people not wearing seatbelts, and the proportion rose to 62% among those seriously injured.

Authorities hope that stricter enforcement and automated monitoring will improve seatbelt use and reduce casualties on Hungary’s roads.

 

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