Traffic fines affect the poor and are ineffective against those they are targeting.

That's the message from a car enthusiast website after it was revealed nearly half a million New Zealanders owe more than $400 million dollars in traffic fines.

Editor of website Dog and Lemon, Clive Matthew-Wilson, says fines are predominantly owed by the poor, who are unable to pay them.

He says they are meant to be a deterrent, but fail to deter the people most likely to break traffic rules, who simply refuse to pay their fines.

He says the attempt to deter these drivers is actually hurting more innocent motorists.

"In many cases where people are poor, the huge amount owed is not actually the original fine - it's the original fine plus penalties because they couldn't afford to pay it on time."