Highway security in Spain: New site visitors regulation authorised in Spain will see stiffer penalties for utilizing cellphones whereas driving | Spain

Spain’s decrease home of parliament authorised on Thursday the brand new Site visitors, Circulation and Highway Security regulation, which incorporates the docking of six factors from motorists’ driving licenses – in comparison with the present three – for anybody who’s caught “holding cellphone gadgets whereas driving.” The ultimate textual content that was handed by lawmakers within the Congress of Deputies doesn’t, ultimately, prohibit drivers from exceeding the pace restrict when they’re overtaking one other automobile.

At the moment, the latter rule permits for an extra of 20 kilometers per hour when passing on Spanish roads. It will stay in place regardless of the regulation’s elimination having been included in an earlier draft of the laws.

Among the many different new rules is an increase within the penalty for not carrying a seatbelt, from three to 4 license factors, in addition to an obligation to put on a helmet when driving electrical scooters.

The reforms modify the present regulation, which dates from 2015, and can now be despatched to the Senate. As soon as it has been definitively authorised by the higher home, it is going to possible come into power within the coming months.

In keeping with the reformed regulation, the penalty for utilizing a cellphone whereas driving will stay at three license factors, if the machine is in a stand or on a seat whereas getting used. However ought to a driver be caught manipulating the telephone of their hand, a four-point penalty may be levied. Palms-free gadgets will nonetheless be permitted to be used.

Unlocking cellphones, and studying or answering WhatsApp messages, can have the worst penalties when driving. Distractions precipitated 31% of the deadly accidents in Spain in 2020, an increase of three factors in comparison with the 12 months earlier than, in response to the most recent report from the DGT site visitors authority.

Additionally underneath the brand new laws, skilled drivers must set up a breathalyzer system of their autos that immobilize the engine ought to they exceed the authorized limits of alcohol ranges of their blood.

Factors system

In Spain, drivers have 12 factors on their licenses, or eight for brand new drivers with lower than three years of expertise or those that have recovered their license after it was suspended. Factors are eliminated if drivers incur in a severe or very severe infraction. Two, three, 4 or six factors may be docked relying on the severity of the offense. If in the course of the two years after a severe offense, or three years within the case of a really severe offense, a driver has not misplaced any additional factors, the total 12 factors are reinstated mechanically. If a driver loses all of their factors, their license can be suspended. The license may be reactivated six months later (three for knowledgeable driver) supplied that the offender takes a highway security course, after which efficiently passes an examination on the content material of mentioned course.

English model by Simon Hunter.