Motorcycle police check June 2023 Spain

Motorcycle police check June 2023 Spain

As of June 15, 2023, 116 motorcyclists have died, 62 on weekends so far in 2023..

78% of motorcyclists who died did so on conventional roads.

57 motorcyclists died due to going off the road they were on, a type of accident in which no other vehicle is involved and in which a distraction or inappropriate speed is usually present.

It is a fact that with the arrival of good weather, motorcycle trips increase exponentially, especially on weekends when they become a recreational activity in itself.

For this reason, the General Directorate of Traffic carries out specific surveillance campaigns several times a year, in 2023 one of them this coming weekend and another in September, on the roads most frequented by motorists in order to control traffic. compliance with the most important regulations that affect motorcycle riding.

Motorcycle quotation

The number of motorcycle fatalities so far this year is above 2022 which makes the campaign that much more important.

The campaign, therefore, has the objective of trying to reduce fatal accidents involving this type of vehicle on weekends, for which the agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard will disseminate the importance of respecting the rules and verifying that they are met.

EXTREME CAUTION: WEEKENDS AND CONVENTIONAL ROADS

Of the 345 people killed in traffic accidents up to June 15, 116 were motorcyclists (33.6%) and, of those 116, 78% (90 motorcyclists) died on conventional roads. If we take into account the data of motorists killed on conventional roads at weekends, this amounts to 53 people, almost half of the total.

Source: DGT.es

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.

Get a Car Insurance Quote

Average speed cameras in Spain

average speed cameras in Spain

Average speed cameras were first installed on Spanish roads in 2010. They are not just features on motorways. You can also find them on dual carriageways as well as conventional two way roads.

A number of cameras work together and will calculate the average speed over a certain distance of the road. When you pass the first set of cameras your registration number is recorded. Then when you reach the end of the designated section of the road being checked you will pass the second set of cameras. This second set of cameras will again record your registration number. The system then calculates your average speed to see if you have exceeded the speed limit.

You need to have past both sets of cameras for the system to calculate your average speed. It does not matter if you change lanes as the cameras are linked together.

The sections of the road where these average speed cameras in Spain are placed will be indicated clearly by signage similar to that pictured.

If you are caught, then you could receive a fine and possibly penalty points as well.

average speed cameras in Spain

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.

Get A Car Insurance Quote

GasAll mobile phone App

google play
apple

Are Dash Cams Legal in Spain

Are dashcams legal in Spain

Contents

Are Dash Cams legal?
What about the Data Protection Law
Installation
Using a Dash Cam
Will a dashcam help me with an insurance claim?”

Dash Cams have become increasing popular over the years and are widely used in some countries.

Some people might want to use the Dash Cam to record their road trip. However, there is an increasing number of people who like the idea that the Dash Cam may help them in the event of a road accident.

The Dash Cam recording could help prove who was at fault in a road traffic accident. Without proof it is often one person’s word against the other. Without witnesses, police attendance or an incident that is clear cut, it sometimes leads to a frustrating outcome. Whilst it does not seem to be prolific in Spain, there are many social media videos out there where fraudsters step out in front of a vehicle in the hope of being able to make a claim against you and make some easy cash.

The question is though are Dash Cams Legal in Spain? Well, the short answer is yes, but you must be aware that Spain has some stringent Data Protection legislation. Please read the next section carefully.

Data Protection Law

The Data protection Laws in Spain prohibit the publication of photos and video of other people, without their express consent. Only the police and other emergency services are allowed to record images in public places. Unauthorised persons recording in public spaces could fall foul of the Agencia Española de Proteccion de Datos (AEPD) and receive a fine.

The images recorded by a Dash Cam can only be used for domestic use. If you were to publish them, for example on social media, then you would need the express consent of the people appearing in the images. Without it you would have to blur faces and disguise number plates and anything else that might lead to the people in the images being identifiable.

Recording images for your own use, a road trip record for example, is not illegal but continued recording could be considered surviellance and therefore fall under the Data Protection Laws in Spain. For example, if you left the camera on whilst the car was parked over night this could be considered video surveillance. Many banks, shops etcetera have a visible notice informing you that you are being recorded. These entities are registered with the AEPD and have to adhere to the Data protection Laws of Spain.

There was a story in the press last November of a man in A Coruña who left his Dash Cam recording the exterior to try and catch the person that was scratching his car. The police spotted the camera and the car was towed to the Municipal Compund. The owner of the car was hit with a 1,000 euro fine. The authorities concluded that the vehicle owner did not prove sufficient justification for the camera to be recording in a public place.

One of the issues is that under the Data protection laws in Spain people have a right to privacy. You cannot go round recording people indiscriminately. However, does the person who recorded the images on their Dash Cam have a legitiamte right to use those images as evidence, for example? This is a gray area and may boil down as to whether the recording is deemed to have met the prinicples of suitability and proportionality without violating the other parties rights under the data protection law.

Under the data protection law as it stands, an insurance company probably could not use the images directly but they could possibly be presented to a judicial court.

Installation

The installation of a DashCam in your vehicle is allowed but there are certain common sense rules that must be taken into account to ensure safe driving. The placement of the device should not interfere with your ability to drive the vehicle. The device should not obstruct your field of vision from the vehicle.

Using a Dash Cam

You must be careful not to manipulate your dash Cam whilst driving. The same as using your mobile phone whilst driving if you are switching on/off or using some other feature on your Dash cam whilst driving then you can be fined. The fine is 200 euros plus the loss of up to six points on your licence.

Will an insurance company accept the images or videos to help with an insurance claim?

With the data protection laws as they are in Spain it is currently unlikely that your insurance company will accept the video images recorded by a dashcam to assist with any insurance claim. This is because, as mentioned above, the recording of these images may breach the Data Protection laws in Spain. Use of these images could result in a fine for you and possible the insurance company.

Two of the issues here are:

1. The Data protection Laws in Spain prohibit the publication of photos and video of other people, without their express consent.

2. Continued recording could be considered surviellance and therefore fall under the Data Protection Laws in Spain. Instruction 1/2006 of the AEPD. If you are not registered then again you could fall foul of the law that is desgiend to protect people’s privacy.

Taking photos after an accident to help show your insurance company the damage and position of vehicles is fine. However, they are unlikely to want to see the video of the incident recorded by a dash cam.

This article has been produced in good faith to provide some answers to general questions regarding the use of Dash cams. It does not constitute any form of legal advice. The laws and their interpretation can change over time.

Get a quote

Speed limits Spain from May 2021

Speed Limits Spain from May 2021

From 11th May 2021 the speed limits in urban areas are changing. Please make yourself aware of the new maximum speed limits. Excessive speed could result in a fine and a possible loss of points.

Whilst you cannot avoid paying a fine if it is due you can make sure you are advised promptly and can take advantage of the discounted period by opting for automatic notification of traffic fines in Spain.

New speed limits Spain from May 2021

Two-way road. One lane in each direction

On roads in town or cities where there is only one lane in the direction you are travelling and there is a raised pavement then the maximum speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour.

Speed limits Spain May 2021
Two way road with raised pavement each side. Maximum speed 30 kph.

Road and pavement at the same height

On those town and urban roads where there is no pavement or the pavement is at the same level as the traffic the speed is further reduced to 20 kilometres per hour.

new speed limits spain may 2021 20 kph
Max speed 20 kph when the road and pavement are at the same level.
get an insurance quote

Two or more lanes in same direction

If the road has two or more lanes in the direction you are travelling, then the maximum speed is 50 kilometres per hour in cities and towns.

Speed limits Spain May 2021
Two lanes or more in the same direction and a raised pavement the max speed limit is 50 kph.

General rules overridden by road sign

Please be aware that these speed limits are the maximum allowed. The town hall may erect signage that indicates a reduction to these maximums. For example, a road with two lanes in one direction and a raised pavement could have a speed limit introduced of less than 50 kilometres per hour if the town hall decides.

Speed limits Spain May 2021
Maximum speed 40 kilometres per hour as indicated by the road sign.

82% of road deaths in urban areas involve the most vulnerable of road users. These are; pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The risk of a fatality is reduced by 80% if the speed of impact is reduced from 50 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour.

Some towns and cities have already introduced new signs but remember from 11th May the new speed limits are nationwide.

Speed limits for interurban roads and motorways in Spain

Motorways 120 kilometres per hour.

Dual carriageways 120 kilometres per hour.

Roads with just one lane in the direction you are travelling 90 kilometres per hour.

Please note these are the maximum and there could be signage indicating a maximum speed lower than these limits.

Source: DGT.es

V16 Emergency Light Spain

V16 Emergency Light Spain

Contents:

  1. Current law and process after a breakdown
  2. What is a V16 Emergency light
  3. Example of a V16 emergency light
  4. Where can I buy a V16 emergency light in Spain
  5. Video demonstrating the use of a V16 emergency light

A change in the law can see you do away with your warning triangles

The use of two warnings triangles if your vehicle breaks down has been a legal requirement in Spain since 1999. These will now be phased out under the latest DGT plans to improve road safety.

At the moment, if a vehicle breaks down then the driver is supposed to aid other motorists by putting out two warning triangles. One goes 50m behind the stranded vehicle to warn traffic that there is a hazard ahead. If the vehicle is on a two-way road then the driver puts another triangle 50m in front of the vehicle to warn oncoming traffic.

A new law was passed earlier this year will see the replacement of the warning triangles with a flashing orange light. It comes into effect on 1 July 2021 although both means of advising other traffic will be legal until the end of 2024.

Tragically, between 2019 and 2020 twenty-eight road deaths occurred whilst people were getting out of their vehicle. This new method should reduce that figure.

PLEASE NOTE: From 1 January 2026 the V-16 warning light must also have a built-in geolocation. Older versions of the V16 device will have to be replaced. The geolocation system interacts with a DGT (Direccion General de Trafico) system which notifies the traffic authorities of the location of your vehicle.

What is a V16 emergency light ?

Help Flash V16 Emergency Light Spain

The V16 emergency light can be placed on the roof which will avoid having to leave the safety of the vehicle in what could be a busy and dangerous road. They are fitted with a magnet to keep them in place.

Apart from emitting a flashing orange light to warn other traffic some models may also be fitted with a facility, through your mobile phone, to contact the emergency services or your insurer to communicate that you have had a breakdown or accident.

These new V16 emergency light is already available. In fact, we wrote a post about one of these products called help flash some time ago.

After 1 July 2021 there will be no need to carry the two warning triangles if you have a homologated V16 emergency light in Spain. However, it does not mean you have to go and buy a new light. The triangles will remain legal for several years yet.

Get an insurance quote

Example of a V16 emergency light in Spain

This V16 emergency light is made by iWotto but there are many companies producing a similar product.

Make sure the product you buy is homologated. This means it meets the legal requirements set out by the Spanish authorities.

If it is homologated then you will be able to find the appropriate reference number on the body of the product. At the time of writing it would bear a number that starts LCOE…. or IDIADA PC…..

The iWotto emergency light shown here is homologated as is the help flash product we have discussed previously on this site.

What we liked about this product was it seemed to be made of quite robust plastic. We thought that would mean after the box gets lost or thrown away after the first use the item would remain in pretty good shape even if it spent a considerable amount of time unprotected in your glove box.

The iWotto product comes with the AAA batteries included.

To fit the batteries just turn the device upside down and unscrew the base.

Slot in the three batteries and then replace the base turning it in the opposite direction so it fits snug again.

The device can then be set upright and the large button in the centre pressed to start emitting the flashing orange light.

On the base of the iWotto V16 emergency light are two magnets. Without leaving the safety of your car you can wind down the window and place it on the roof.

We bought this product in the supermarket Carrefour for 13.90 euros. It is available on Amazon.es and the manufacturers website as well. It was more expensive on both of those websites. However, they supply it with the extra of a torch that is part of a head band.

V16 Emergency Light Spain

Where can I buy a V16 emergency light in Spain ?

The V16 emergency light in Spain is already widely available. We sourced the iWotto product in Carrefour but it is also on the amazon.es. The Help Flash have three different levels of their product available on their website. The standard model is also available on amazon.es. There are many other manufacturers as well, including: Osram, Motorkit, Pocoya Drivelit safe as a few examples. Other businesses that stock at least one type of V16 emergency light are: Norauto, Fue Vert, Aurgi and Al Campo supermarket and even PC Componentes.

Video of the iWotto Light in action.

Here is a link to the iwotta website but I found the product was cheaper to buy in Carrefour. Having said that, on the product manufacturers website it comes with the addition of a lamp on an elastic strap which you can wear on your head but to be honest I’m not that capable of fiddling under the bonnet of a modern car and would prefer to stay safely inside and call the breakdown service.

Get an insurance quote

MiDGT mobile application

MiDGT mobile application

Contents

  1. Introduction to MiDGT
  2. Spanish driving licence in your mobile phone
  3. Details of your Spanish vehicles
  4. Order a report on a vehicle you are looking to buy
  5. What’s in a vehicle report in Spain?
  6. How to download MiDGT to your mobile

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.

Electric scooters in Spain

electric scooters in spain

People have mixed opinions about electric scooters in Spain since they hit our streets in numbers a few years ago. Their volume grew substantially when numerous companies appeared in the big cities. By downloading the company’s app on your mobile phone it became easy to obtain and use an electric scooter. 

There are obvious advantages in cities or large towns. A not insignificant part of a working days income could be swallowed up in car park charges. Finding and then buying a parking space or even renting one is often completely out of the question. Even more so if you are a low paid worker or studying at a university in the city.

Then there is the environmental impact. Low costs to manufacture, using electricity rather than high polluting fuels such as petrol and diesel vehicles. The electric scooter also enabled one to avoid cramped buses with inconvenient timetables or irritating routes.
 
In most of Spain at least, there is also the added benefit of some pretty good weather to enjoy.
 

However, like most things the explosion of electric scooters in Spain ran faster than the accompanying law. This has lead to some frustration amongst non-scooter users on both the road and pavement. Because of the grey area in the road traffic law, a minority of electric scooter users have felt it was OK to roar down the pavement and weave in and out of pedestrians. Other sights seen have included, more than one person on a scooter, riding at night with no lights and riding with headphones on.

The traffic law was reformed on Tuesday 9 November 2020 although the new rules take effect on 2nd January 2021.

  1. Electric scooters must circulate on the road. They cannot be ridden on pavement or pedestrianised areas including pedestrain and zebra crossings.
  2. You cannot ride an electric scooter in Spain on roads between urban areas. Not unsurprisingly you cannot ride an electric scooter on a motorway either. In addition, you cannot ride your electric scooter through any tunnel.
  3. The user of an electric scooter in Spain can be asked to take a breathalyser test by the road traffic authorities
  4. It is not permitted to use headphones will using an electric scooter.
  5. An electric scooter will need to have a certificate of circulation like other vehicles. The document must specify the technical characteristics of the electric scooter which in turn must be approved by the DGT. This will be a legal requirement within 24 months
electric scooters in spain

Traffic law reform in Spain sees six points for using a mobile phone and 30 kph max speed on urban streets

Traffic law reform in Spain

The penalty for driving whilst speaking with a mobile phone has been increased to 6 points. This was just one of several changes to the road traffic law in Spain.

On Tuesday this week, the Council of Ministers approved various reforms. These include an increase from three to four points the penalty issued for driving without a seat belt. This points penalty is also the same for not have appropriate child restraints or not wearing a crash helmet on a motorcycle.

Other changes include a fine of 500 euros and the loss of three points for having a device that detects speed cameras. This should not be confused with navigation devices that use a database and identify where fixed speed cameras are placed. Please see this article as to what is legal and illegal.

New speed limits

Additionally, urban streets have a new maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour. This is when there is only one lane in each direction. Where there is no difference in the height of the pavement and the road the speed limit will be further reduced to 20 kph.  If there are two lanes in each direction the limit is 50 kilometres per hour.

One other important change is the withdrawal of the law that allowed you to increase your speed by up to 20 kph above the actual speed limit. This was only permitted when overtaking a vehicle, not driving at the speed limit, on a conventional road.

Electric scooters

The legal position was clarified regarding the use of electric scooters. From 2 of January 2021 you cannot use an electric scooter on the pavement or in a pedestrianised area. The maximum speed is 25 kph.

The riders of electric scooters can be subjected to alcohol testing and they must not use headphones whilst operating the scooter.

Vehicles used by people with reduced mobility such as mobility scooters are exempt from these new reforms.

Traffic law reform in Spain
Traffic law reform in Spain
electric scooters in spain

When does all this start?

The modifications related to the Traffic Regulations and Vehicles will enter into force on January 2, 2021. However, the amendment to article 50 of the General Traffic Regulations (speeds in urban areas) will enter into force six months after its publication in the Official State Gazette so that citizens know them adequately and so that public administrations have enough time to adapt the signage. (11 May 2021). The modifications related to the drivers regulation will come into force the day after the publication od the Royal Decree in the BOE.

Source: DGT.es

Notifications of fines in Spain

Traffic infringements are notified by normal post in Spain. If you are worried about receiving the notification, because the post service is not great in your area or you are out of the country a lot then we offer a special product for a flat annual fee. Once signed up you will receive an email or SMS text message to notify you if you have received a new fine.