ROAD-USERS are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with Spain’s new traffic laws, in force from today.
There are many changes to the laws, some directly affecting expats. Here the Olive Press lists the most important changes:
- Foreign residents must now register vehicles in Spain.
- ‘Very serious’ speeding offences are punished by a fine of €600 and a loss of six points.
- Lesser speeding offences are punished by a fine of €500 and a loss of six points.
- Speeding fines can apply for exceeding the limit by just 1kph.
- Cyclists under 16 must wear helmets.
- Children less than 1.35 metres tall cannot sit in the front seat, except in certain cases, such as cars without back seats.
- Traffic police no longer have to stop a vehicle caught breaking the law; they can simply issue a penalty afterwards.
- In some towns the speed limit is being reduced from 30kph to 20kph.
- If the driver is double the legal alcohol limit, is a frequent offender or refuses to take a breath test then there is a loss of six points and a fine of €1,000.
- There is also a loss of four points for a driver who is over the alcohol limit but without doubling it, or a driver under the influence of drugs.
- If the driver is not correctly licensed for the vehicle then a loss of four points is applied.
Regardless of law changes speeding is an offence and if one keeps to the speed sign then there is no problem.
@Fred,
Can’t see where you are coming from. They haven’t changed the laws on speed limits but merely pointing out that prosecutions will be made if one is caught doing over 1Kmp of the stated Kmp sign, it’s a warning. Whereas prior to this 1Kmp information the law had been tolerant but due to the amount of accidents they are now informing of the consequences.
Fred, the law has not been changed, it’s just that people had become accustomed of not being prosecuted. Simple really.
Caccia, you need to get new glasses. Re-read the article – point 4 of “the most important changes”. Those “changes” are changes to the law. No one said the speed limit has been changed, just the measurement at which a car was deemed to be speeding (however speed limits have been changed yet again recently, coincidentally).
Ah, I see you have seen the light. A friend was caught last year on a drink and drive, lost licence for one year, law had not changed, penalty just being applied.
Heading can be deceiving and headlines are to attract.
Perhaps the write-up should have read:-
“ROAD-USERS are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with Spain’s code of practice regarding the traffic laws”.
Words can be twisted to suit headings, even the spelling is in-correct, should have been “familiarize”. See what I mean Fred.
Fred,
I will state once more. There is no change in the speeding law.
If one is caught speeding even the 1Kph then you have broken the law. The law of speeding zones are clearly marked on signs. Simple really.
Caccia, you said it yourself: “prior to this 1Kmp information the law had been tolerant”. Indeed, it was more tolerant before the law was recently changed, and now it is less tolerant. It’s just my opinion that the older (more tolerant) interpretation was more common sense, and particulary so in the case of speed cameras.
Btw your hyphenation of many words is dubious.
Well Fred,
Lets leave it at that, no point in continuing with such a trivial matter. My saying “prior to this 1Kmp information the law had been tolerant” was in-fact precisely what the copper had also indicated.
Caccia, I’m happy to leave this thread at that point. The article is clear and accurate in its coverage of the laws that have recently changed.