MOTORISTS will not be penalised straight away if they don’t have the V-16 beacon in their cars from January 1.
The new warning system replaces physically placing out red triangles and will be mandatory for all vehicles.
In the event of an accident, the V-16 light must be put on the car roof.
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When activated, the beacon connects to the DGT Traffic Authority’s 3.0 platform ‘to transmit a location in real time and warn other road users’.
The DGT head, Pere Navarro, has promised a ‘grace period’ for non-compliers.
Speaking to the LaSexta TV channel, Navarro said: “The police as they always react when there is something new, will be flexible, reasonable and for a period of time they will inform instead of sanction.”
“The objective is to consolidate the use of the beacon by everyone throughout the year and the police are not going to stop cars to specifically fine them,” he added.
As for using both the V-16 and triangles, Navarro made the position clear: “The only mandatory thing is the V-16; From here, you do what you want.”
“The beacon replaces triangles because it’s much safer but if you want to place a triangle as well, it is not prohibited and you will not be sanctioned.”
Asked what happens if someone has an incident inside a tunnel and if the signal is going to reach the DGT, he said: “In all tunnels where there is coverage it works perfectly, but not all tunnels have coverage though there is plan to boost the service.”
Navarro was also keen to state that the V-16 is not infringing personal liberty by storing details of motorists.
“I understand the concern, but no. We do not know who has bought the beacon, the licence plate or the model of the vehicle, nor do we want to know,” he commented.
“The only aim is to warn that there is a vehicle involved in a road incident and to give the location of it. Nothing else. We have no interest in storing data.”
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