Road safety changes approved by Spanish Congress

Road safety changes approved by Spanish Congress
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By m.p. - Jun 18, 2009 - 6:12 PM
The government aims to make it easier for those who wish to pay their traffic fines and more difficult for those who do not

EFE

As expected, Congress has this Thursday approved proposed reforms to the Road Safety Law, but with a surprise abstention from the Partido Popular when the vote took place. The reform now goes on to the Senate for debate.

The measures bring changes to the system of traffic fines, with the idea being, according to El País, to make it easier for those who want to pay up but more difficult for those who do not. Drivers will have the option of a 50% discount if they pay up within 15 days – on the spot by credit card if they wish - rather than the current 30%. They will only receive one notification of the fine instead of the three which are currently sent out.

New amounts have been set for traffic offences, from 100 € for a minor infraction, up to 500 € for those considered as very serious, which may increase by another 30% according to the level of potential danger in the driver’s actions.

The 10 km leeway for speeding offences will disappear, and 100 € fines will be placed from the first kilometre above the speed limit. Licence points will not be lost however for those who break the speed limit on motorway access roads to the big cities but who go no faster than 130 km/hour.

Other measures include needing vehicle insurance to pass the ITV road safety test, but it will no longer be obligatory to carry all your documentation in the vehicle while you are driving. Driving while programming the GPS system will mean a 200 € fine, and while radar detectors will be permitted, using a device which blocks the radar’s function brings with it a fine of up to 6,000 €.

The text of the document approved by Congress requires the government to use the money raised from traffic to finance more road safety.

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