What happens if you receive a Traffic fine notification?

average speed cameras in Spain
drones to monitor traffic in Spain

The DGT will advise you of a fine by post or electronic notification if registered through the DEV (Dirección Electrónica Vial). The DEV is an electronic system normally only used by legal entities and not physical people.

If you are not at home to receive the postal notification of your fine then the sanction will be published in TESTRA and the Tablón Edictal Único del BOE (TUE). It is considered that you have been notified 20 days after the publication on one of the above.

TESTRA is the Edictal Board of Traffic Sanctions of the DGT and TEU is the Single Edictal Board of the BOE.  The Tablón Edictal Único del BOE (TUE) is a means by which Spanish government departments can advise citizens of administrative decisions that affect them when they have been unable to contact them by post.

IMPORTANT: THE DGT NEVER ADVISE YOU OF A TRAFFIC FINE BY EMAIL. IF YOU GET AN EMAIL ABOUT A ROAD TRAFFIC FINE IN SPAIN THEN IT IS A SCAM.

If you are away from your Spanish home for a significant amount of time, then you may want to purchase a Fine Notification Policy. This low-cost service will ensure you receive an email and/or text message (Spanish mobiles only) if a vehicle registered in your name appears on the BOE (TUE) and the authorities have not been able to deliver the usual postal notification.

It might also come in useful if other family members are using your car in your holiday home. They may have accidentally incurred a traffic infringement whilst using your car and if you are not in Spain you will not know.

How to drive on a motorway in Spain

How to drive on a motorway in Spain

How to drive on a motorway in Spain

Motorways are built to help a large volume of traffic move from one town or city to another. They facilitate the flow of traffic, by separating vehicles going in one direction from those going in the other direction. They often have large clear illuminated signs which can provide useful information quickly after an accident, for example. Motorways are the safest roads to drive on but you still have to remain vigilant because some drivers are ignorant or forgetful of good driving conduct.

How to drive on a motorway in Spain

In no particular order here are some pointers on how to drive on a motorway in Spain.

  • Make sure you respect the distance between you and the vehicle in front. Have you allowed yourself enough time to slow down if someone ahead were to brake suddenly?
  • If you want to change lanes, then make sure you indicate. Indicators are not just for the ITV test although in some areas it is possible to believe it. Once you have changed lanes you should turn your indicator off.
  • The acceleration and deceleration lanes are meant for that purpose. If you are entering a motorway build up your speed in the acceleration lane to incorporate yourself into the motorway. If it is necessary to stop on the slip road on to a motorway, then make sure you stop at the beginning. This will enable you to accelerate and enter the motorway more safely when there is sufficient space. The idea of the slip road off the motorway or deceleration lane is just that. Use it to slow down rather than reducing your speed on the actual motorway.
  • Don’t hog the middle lane. In Spain you must always drive in the right hand lane unless you are overtaking or there is a queue of slow moving traffic. The middle lane and left lanes are only for overtaking. There are plenty of drivers who need reminding of this one!
  • Respect the speed limits. The maximum on a motorway in Spain is 120 kph for cars and motorcycles. The minimum speed is 60 kph unless you are in a traffic queue or there are other official warning signs stipulating a lower speed.
  • It is recommended that you take a break from driving every two hours or 200 kilometres of driving.
  • Do not use your mobile phone whilst driving. It’s dangerous and you could end up with 6 points on your licence and a fine.
    Make sure you have your V16 emergency light with you in case your car breaks down.

Summary

I doubt very much any of these pointers are new to the majority of people but I am sure we have all seen people touring a long in the middle lane, which means they are effectively blocking two lanes of the motorway, as it is illegal to overtake on the right. It does not hurt just to refresh our memory a little now and again.

Cheap petrol in Spain

cheap petrol in Spain

We probably all know where the cheapest petrol station is in our area but what if we are making a longer journey that may require a fuel stop?

With the price of petrol and diesel rocketing of late it is good to know that help is at hand. GasAll is a mobile application you can download from Google Play or Apple’s App Store. The App will help you find the cheapest petrol prices in Spain.

When you first download the GasAll mobile phone app it will ask you to enter some information, such as whether your car runs on diesel or petrol, the size of the tank and after a quick search on the internet, if you don’t know it, the consumption figure for your motor.

GassAll

After the initial set up, when you open the app the first thing it will do is try and find your location. It will display a map showing the location of the petrol station locations nearby. You can tap the petrol station icons and it will come up with the price of the fuel relevant to your vehicle. It also shows the opening hours and the distance from your current location.

Tapping the display at the bottom of the screen with the price on it opens more detailed information. Scrolling down shows the estimated cost in fuel to get to the petrol station and what it will cost to completely fill your fuel tank. Then it also shows a figure which indicates the amount of money you will save based on the average price. Then at the very bottom you can click the blue button which will provide you with directions on how to get to the petrol station using google maps.

The application will also highlight if the petrol station has an offer. For example, if you fill up with a certain amount of petrol you get a free car wash or a discount on a set of saucepans!

cheap petrol in Spain

If you prefer tap on the menu button at the top of the screen and to the right you will see a list of all the petrol stations near where you are. It also shows the price for the fuel as well as the cost to fill the tank completely. You can switch from lowest price to distance from your location.

I checked in my local area and the difference between the cheapest price for unleaded 95 and the most expensive was 13 cents a litre! If you are filling your tank, then that will make a difference.

The App already has over 100,000 downloads from the Google Play Store and for those of you who really make long journeys or later this year will make a lengthy trip by car for your holiday then this App may be of interest to you.

GasAll mobile phone App

MiDGT mobile application

MiDGT mobile application

Contents

Introduction to MiDGT

MiDGT mobile application is the official name of the android/apple application from the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) in Spain.

Launched in March 2020 it gives the user access to their driving licence, the number of points they retain on their driving licence as well as details about Spanish vehicles registered in their name. More recently the DGT have added more features including being able to consult the taxes to pay when buying a car and ordering a report on a vehicle to see if there are any reasons why it cannot be transferred to a new owner, if you were thinking of buying it.

You can update your mobile phone and email address held by the DGT and authorise the receipt of notifications from the DGT.

When you log in you will see your photo, your points summary and the vehicles you own listed further down.

In the top left corner are the three lines which opens up a menu. From here you can add your mobile phone number and email to the records that the DGT hold and also switch on or off a button to receive notifications.

Next to the welcome message and photo of the registered user is the option “Ver mi carnet”. Click here and this takes you to a copy of your Spanish driving licence.

MiDGT

Copy of your Spanish Driving Licence

MiDGT3
MiDGT mobile application 4

Once you click “Ver mi carnet” on the DGT mobile application your driving licence appears.

It will show all the details of the original plastic card that you probably have in your wallet.

Your date of birth, DNI/NIE etcetera. You can click to turn the card on the MiDGT mobile application around.

This then shows you the list of vehicle categories you have permission to drive. The dates of when you were authorised to drive each category of vehicle and the expiry date for each category is also shown in the same format as it is on the original pink plastic card licence.

The image explains the front of the driving licence as it appears on the MiDGT mobile application. The letters and numbers next to row headed “9” are the categories of vehicles you have permission to drive.

In the top right corner you will see a blue arrow forming almost a circle. Click this icon and you are presented with the reverse side of your driving licence.

Here you have more details about the category of vehicles you have permission to drive. When you were authorised to drive them and when the category expires.

If you return to the first page we looked at, the one when you access the application then lower down you will see the list of vehicles registered in your name.

List of your Spanish vehicles

Here you can click on each one to find out more information about each one. There is information on the make and model of the vehicle, what fuel it uses and the engine size (cilindrada).

You will also find the VIN / Bastidor number and the date the vehicle was first registered. Now of course, it also has the environmental rating shown.

Further down the individual vehicle page you have confirmation of whether it passed the last ITV and very usefully the date the current ITV expires.

Lower down the page are the insurance records of the vehicle and the insurance renewal date.

For each vehicle registered in your name there is a record. You can access them one by one from the front page of the MiDGT mobile application.

DGT are expanding information available

The DGT has expanded the funcionality of the application since its launch. You can now carry out various administrative tasks from your mobile phone. You can pay relevant fees using the MiDGT mobile application, pay traffic fines, identify the driver who caused the traffic infraction if it was not you that was driving.

MiDGT mobile application

Get a vehicle report for a car in Spain

It is now possible to get both the short and full report on vehicles registered in Spain. This is particularly important if you are looking to buy a second hand car in Spain.

The full report is 8.67 euros (2022) and will show you if the vehicle is in a position to be transferred to a new owner.

  1. To obtain a vehicle report on a Spanish car then click the menu icon in the top left corner.
  2. Then select “informe de vehiculos”
  3. You will se a screen with two options. “Solicitar informe basico” which is a basic and free report. The second option and recomended option if you are thinking of buying a vehicle is “solicitar informe completo”.
  4. A new screen opens and you have to type in the registration number of the vehicle (matricula)
  5. Next you are asked to complete the reason for your request for the report (Motivo de la solicitud). There are currently four options. If you are looking at possibly purchasing the vehicle then click “posible adquisición del vehículo”
  6. Then click “seleccionar at the bottom of the page.
  7. Then you will be asked to pay the report fee (Pago de tasa) You can choose to pay by credit card or bank account. They only accept payment by debit or credit card from a limited range of banks so you may have to input your Spanish bank account details.
  8. Click to pay the tax and you can download the report to your phone.
vehicle information report spain
Top part of the first page of a vehicle report in Spain

Vehicle Report in Spain content

Once you have downloaded the report  you will see the registration number of the relevant vehicle in the top right hand corner. Just below and on the left you can see if the vehicle has an insurance policy in place and whether there is a current ITV (Similar to MOT in the UK). If there is then both will be indicated by a green circle with a white tick in it.

The next section will give the name of the current owner.

The third section headed “Identificación del vehículo” gives you information about the vehicle. It includes the registration number, the date it was first registered, the model, the VIN number, whether the car is leased (renting)  and the registered address of the vehicle.

The next section confirms the vehicle has insurance or not and with which company it is insured.

After that you will find a list of previous owners and whether they were individuals or businesses. There are further details on when each previous owner registered the car and finished being the owner.

“Historical de Inspecciones Técnicas” is the area where you will find details of the previous ITVs undertaken by the vehicle. You will see if it passed or not and if it failed was it a serious failure. It also shows the kilometres at the time of the test and the dates of the ITV tests.

After the ITV section you can find more technical information about the car. The engine size, the power of the engine, the number of seats, weight  and level of emissions.

Other sections may appear in the report especially if there is some adverse information. The report may indicate that there is an embargo on the vehicle or a loan outstanding on it. There also could be an indication that the vehicle is registered as “baja” or off the road with the traffic authorities and if so it should not be circulating.

There also could be an “incidencia denegatoria” which means you need to contact Trafico. It could be that there is some kind of restriction to rectify before it can be sold, for example.

How to download the application

The application can be downloaded using your android phone’s play store or if you are an apple user from the App Store.

To access the application you will either have to have a digital signature installed on your mobile phone or have access to the Cl@ve PIN application as part of the security measures to access the information.

To log in the first time I used the Cla@ve PIN application I already have installed on my phone. It makes it a bit cumbersome the first time but then the next time I wanted to log in I just had to use my finger print and went smoothly straight into the application.

The MiDGT mobile application has more and more functionality and the road traffic authority the DGT is keen to bring more features to the application in the future.

One final point, for the time being we still recommend you have possession of your physical driving licence on you whilst driving.

He hit me from a side road on my right. How is that my fault?

There are several common misunderstandings related to car insurance claims in Spain and this is one of them.

“I was driving along near where I live, when someone pulled out from a road to the right and hit my car.  I checked the other driver was OK. Then we looked at the damage to each other’s vehicles. Finally, as we began to complete the accident report form details and talk about what had happened and I was astonished when he said to me that the accident was my fault!”

“So we rang the local police who came to attend the incident and I said that I was travelling along the road and he pulled out from a side road to my right.”

car hit me from the right

“The policeman had a look at the exit of the side road and then advised me that the other driver was in fact correct. I couldn’t believe it and thought the policeman must have had it in for me!”

How can it by my fault when he came out of the road to my right as I was driving straight ahead?

According to Article 57 Unmarked intersections, you must give way to vehicles that are approaching from your right. The exceptions to this are:

  1. Vehicles on a paved road will have priority over those on a non-paved road.
  2. Vehicles on rails have a priority over other road users.
  3. Roundabouts. Those already on the roundabout have priority over those intending to enter the roundabout.
  4. Vehicles travelling on a motorway have priority over those intending to enter the motorway.

Violations of these rules are a serious traffic offence. You may receive a fine.

Be careful if hit by a car coming from a side road on your right. The default position of your insurance company in Spain and that of the company of the other driver will be it is your fault. The insurance companies have certain agreements between them (convenios) that are in place to speed up claims so that victims are dealt with swiftly.

All the same, the default position may not always be correct. Look for road markings and signage. Take photos of the cars positions (if safe to do so) and the road you are on and the one the other car came out of. If there is a sign saying that the other driver should give way or stop then take a photo of it. The people who deal with your and the other driver’s claim are in an office possible 1,000s of kilometres away they won’t know the street or perhaps even the town.

Without this proof your insurance company will almost certainly have to accept responsibility.

Breakdown recovery Spain / Accident recovery Spain

breakdown recovery spain

Most car insurance in Spain will automatically include accident and breakdown recovery. However, there are differences in the cover provided. Some companies offer a comprehensive package in their cover as standard. Others offer more flexibility but if you don’t make enquiries you could end up with very limited service.

A few companies will only provide breakdown assistance, for example, if you are a minimum distance away from your home. So if you wake up and need to get to work or the airport to pick up relatives and the car won’t start you are on your own. Other companies offer cover from 0 (zero) kilometres. This means in the situation above they will come at get you started or tow you to the garage.

Limited towing distance

Other differences you might come across is the maximum distance that the insurance company will tow you. Alternatively, the distance the tow truck will travel might be calculated by the cost of the tow truck. So the insurance company might provide the service up to a limit of “x” amount of euros.

You can usually ask to be taken to your destination, your home address or your chosen garage within the limits set out in the breakdown recovery service stipulated in your policy. If the distance exceeds what you contracted, then the Spanish car insurance company recovery service will take you to the nearest garage for assistance instead.

Time to reach you

These days the majority of companies will get the recovery vehicle to you within the hour. They seem to have this well organised now. Perhaps why a few now offer compensation if the tow truck (Grua) arrives late. Whilst that might be welcome after the event it is hardly the reason to choose your car insurance in Spain.

Various companies may well try and fix the car where it has broken down. If it is something minor that can be done safely at the side of the road, for example, and within a short period of time. Remember your insurance breakdown recovery will try and help you get back on the road but they are not responsible for the cost of replacement parts.

Again depending on what level of breakdown recovery service you purchase, if it is not possible to repair the vehicle the same day then you the insurer may make a contribution towards hotel expenses. The amount, the length of stay and other conditions are dictated by your policy. This type of cover for breakdown and accident recovery could also include other European countries. If you travel abroad this might be an important consideration.

Hire car or taxi

There may be times when the vehicle remains immobilised for several days as a result of an accident or a major breakdown. Depending on what you have contracted in your policy then you might have the option to obtain a hire car to get you home or to your final destination. Or perhaps the insurance provider will organise a taxi.

Each insurance company is different so it is not possible to give a definitive guide here. The purpose of this article is to get you to think about what you might expect from your accident and breakdown recovery service. Discuss it with your Spanish insurance broker when you are looking for quotations for your car insurance in Spain.

Bear in mind, that the Spanish companies that tend to focus on expatriate clients usually offer a more complete package as part of their standard pricing. Other insurance companies will have maybe three levels of accident and breakdown recovery options you can choose from. Remember to check what is included because if you do not ask then you might find you are given the cheapest to make the insurance premium more attractive to you.

Make sure you know what you are buying

Remember, you only find the true value of your insurance when you need to use it. Skimping on a few euros now may lead to a real headache when the kids don’t get to their holiday destination or you have to dig deep in your pocket to get home.

Remember that if you are legally required to have certain things in your car in the event of a breakdown. See our post about warning triangles and reflective jackets.

UK driving licences in Spain after 29 March 2019

UK driving licences in Spain after 29 March 2019

Although the Brexit deadline date is fast approaching the UK government only recently added information to its website regarding UK citizens using their UK driving licence in Spain.

According to the British Government website, if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal on the 29 March 2019 then you will not be able to exchange your UK driving licence for a Spanish one after that date

You will have to take a new driving test in Spain to obtain a Spanish licence.

If you wish to exchange your driving licence for a Spanish one then you can read our article on switching to a Spanish driving licence for guidance.

The Government website continues that, ” you might need an IDP to drive in all EU or EEA countries…” They provide a link to the AA website where you can find more information on International driving Permits.

According to the AA website mutual recognition of UK and EU driving licences may end. However, there is still nothing definitive.

How has driving in Spain improved in the last 40 years?

This year Spain celebrates the 40th year of its constitution and the Directorate General de Trafico (DGT) has been looking back over that period at the evolution in numbers of traffic and how road deaths have fallen.

In 1978 the new constitution for the country was approved. That same year 6,967 people died on Spanish roads.  The number fell significantly when the wearing of a helmet on a motorcycle was made legally compulsory in 1982. However, that improvement disappeared as by 1989, the worse year on record, road deaths had reached 9,344.

In 2017 the figure was down by 83% to 1,830 but the DGT is not content. It has been running a campaign for a while now with the aim of reducing the number of deaths to zero. Is it realistic? It is an honourable objective and if not possible, if the authorities are aiming for that figure then surely we will see further improvements.

Over the years a number of factors have helped reduced road deaths. The authorities made ABS braking system compulsory on cars. They set up a commission  to specifically look at road safety. Points were added to driving licences and taken away for infractions, which perhaps surprisingly only started in 2006. Tougher penalties are in place for speeding.

In 1978 there were just under 9 million vehicles on Spain’s roads. By the end of 2017, this had grown to almost 33 million. Whilst last year saw a small increase in the number of road deaths the drop of 83% over this time is still quite an achievement bearing in mind the huge increase in the fleet of vehicles on the roads.

Perhaps one factor that may have contributed to the small rise in deaths is the age of the vehicles. In 2005 the average age of vehicles on Spanish roads was just 6.7 years. In 2007 the economic crash hit Spain and it hit hard. Many people haven’t seen any real growth in their income since then and the average age of vehicles has risen to 10.8 years. Newer vehicles have better safety features. However, many ordinary motorists are not able to take advantage of those.

Speeding is still the main road traffic infraction but surprisingly not wearing a seat belt also features highly, even nowadays.

Vehicle manufacturers and Government can introduce measures and police them but ultimately we all have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and other road users to use our common sense.

Tougher law for using mobile phones in Spain

Tougher law for using mobile phones in Spain

The Government of Spain is currently looking into changing the law related to using a mobile telephone whilst driving.

It is already an offence to manually use a mobile telephone whilst driving. This will incur the withdrawal of three points from your driving licence.

However, if a draft reform of the traffic laws is passed then this offence will see the removal of six points, double the current penalty.

The reform also seeks to clarify the offence by stating that using your hands to search a device, text a message or answer a call will be an infringement of the road traffic laws.

The new law will extend to all types of devices, including navigation systems. An offence won’t be incurred where these devices can be operated without the use of your hands. Devices that give verbal instructions and that are operated by voice will be ok.

Driving on a motorway in Spain

Driving on a motorway in Spain

The motorways in Spain are pretty much free-flowing, except if you are travelling during the rush hour or near a major city.

The usual limit on a motorway is 120 kilometres per hour unless otherwise indicated. Sometimes, when approaching a slip road, for example, the speed limit may be reduced to 100 or less and also when crossing bridges. It is then promptly increased again after the hazard.

Driving on a motorway in SpainYou may also see the yellow-backed road signs which are put in place whilst works are being undertaken. However, being undertaken can be used loosely as some I have seen have been concreted in and show signs of fading. Nonetheless, they need to be obeyed.

Although motorways can be fairly free of traffic motorists need to remember the correct way of driving on one. Around towns and cities, they become notably more congested and it becomes even more important to remember the rules of the road.

For example, you should always respect the road markings and circulate in the farthest lane to the right. You will often see people driving in the middle lane for kilometres whilst not overtaking anyone. This is not correct.

If you come across someone hogging the middle lane then do not be tempted to overtake them on the right. As you approach they may become aware of their error and start to move across into your path. Besides, overtaking on the right is prohibited in the Spanish highway code.

Do not overtake on the right

Despite someone hogging the middle lane, you must overtake on the left so will have to move across two lanes to pass them.

Of course, this is what causes frustration because the driver in the middle lane is effectively blocking two lanes.

Remember when you change lanes you must always use your indicator. That means when you start your manoeuvre from behind the car in front you need to indicate. Then once you are in the lane to overtake you turn your indicator off. You put it on once again when you are a safe distance ahead of the vehicle you overtook to indicate you are moving into the right-hand lane again. You are using your indicator, in these circumstances, to show a change of lane. Once you have changed lanes you should turn off the indicator.

To sumarise, the right-hand lane is for circulating on the motorway the two lanes to the left are for overtaking.