Spain’s Dgt Warns: Stop Doing This On The Road Or Face A €200 Penalty

It’s 1 of those small things you do down nan instrumentality without giving it a 2nd thought. You’re cruising on a motorway, nan postulation abruptly slows to a crawl, and your small heart kicks in: flick connected nan hazard lights to pass nan car behind.

Sounds sensible, right? Unfortunately, nan DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) doesn’t work together – and this very communal wont could now time off you pinch a €200 fine.

A astonishment for Spanish drivers

The news has caught plentifulness of motorists disconnected guard. Many admit they’ve been doing it for years, reasoning they were being other cautious. One driver, Francesc Lamela Piqueras, moreover confessed connected societal media: “I didn’t cognize this was a fine. I utilized to do it each nan time, reasoning it was nan safest point to do.” He’s acold from unsocial – for a batch of seasoned drivers, this feels for illustration a hidden norm pulled consecutive retired of nowhere.

But nan truth is, it’s not new. The prohibition is written into nan Reglamento General de Circulación, Spain’s driving rulebook. According to article 109, nan correct measurement to pass others of a abrupt slowdown is by pressing nan brake pedal many times truthful that your rear lights flash, aliases – successful a somewhat much old-fashioned move – by sticking your limb retired nan model and moving it up and down quickly.

Hazard lights, says nan DGT, are strictly reserved for existent emergencies, not regular postulation jams.

When hazard lights are allowed

So does that mean you tin ne'er touch that reddish triangle fastener again? Not exactly. There are a fistful of scenarios wherever hazards are not only allowed but encouraged. If you break down connected nan difficult shoulder, if your car is immobilised, aliases if you’re driving done dense fog, torrential rainfall aliases moreover fume that limits visibility – past yes, hazard lights are legal.

But utilizing them simply to emblem a postulation jam ahead? That’s what nan DGT wants to stop. The statement is that drivers should cognize what brake lights mean – and hazards, if misused, only create confusion.

Whether motorists bargain into that reasoning aliases not, nan informing is clear: transportation connected pinch nan habit, and you could beryllium €200 poorer.

The bigger crackdown connected roadworthy behaviour

This isn’t happening successful isolation. The DGT has been softly tightening up its surveillance of drivers, rolling retired much cameras, tougher penalties and moreover caller signals designed to drawback bad habits.

One of nan latest is the S-991d STOP radar system, already being tested successful definite parts of Spain. It’s designed to show whether cars are really coming to a complete halt astatine STOP signs. The caller signs, linked to physics eyes, tin show instantly if you’ve slowed down but grounded to extremity afloat – thing astir drivers are blameworthy of astatine slightest once.

Officials opportunity nan thought isn’t astir catching group out, but astir making roads safer for everyone, particularly successful engaged municipality zones wherever pedestrians, cyclists and different cars transverse paths. Still, for galore motorists, it feels for illustration yet different reminder that nan smallest mistakes nary longer spell unnoticed.

What this intends for expats and tourists

For expats surviving successful Spain – and nan millions of holidaymakers who prosecute a car for their summertime break – this is 1 of those rules you’ll want to support successful mind. It’s easy to presume that what feels “common sense” connected nan roadworthy must beryllium legal. But arsenic nan DGT keeps proving, Spanish postulation rule has its quirks.

Hazard lights for jams mightiness consciousness instinctive if you’ve driven elsewhere successful Europe, but present successful Spain, it’s a costly error. And erstwhile fines tin get via radar aliases camera agelong aft your travel is over, ignorance really isn’t bliss.

The connection from nan DGT couldn’t beryllium clearer: cognize nan rules, moreover nan ones that look mini aliases counterintuitive. A wont picked up complete years mightiness look harmless, but successful Spain it could beryllium a punishment waiting to happen.

So adjacent clip nan motorway up grinds to a halt, defy nan impulse to scope for nan hazard button. Tap your brake pedal instead, support your distance, and prevention yourself €200. Because arsenic each driver successful Spain is learning nan difficult measurement – erstwhile it comes to roadworthy safety, nan DGT intends business.

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