Spain’s New Road Rules For 2026: What Every Driver, Rider And Pedestrian Needs To Know

A awesome shake-up successful really group move astir Spain is connected nan way. The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has confirmed that from January 2 2026, a caller package of roadworthy information rules will travel into force, affecting drivers, cyclists, transportation riders, scooter users and moreover pedestrians.

The changes person been successful mentation for respective years and are portion of a wider effort to trim accidents, peculiarly successful engaged municipality areas.

The DGT says its privilege is clear: protecting nan astir susceptible roadworthy users. That intends those who recreation connected 2 wheels, those who walk hours moving successful traffic, and group connected foot. While immoderate of nan caller rules are straightforward, others whitethorn return immoderate getting utilized to—especially for transportation drivers and electrical scooter riders who person go portion of Spain’s mundane thoroughfare life.

Seatbelts Become Non-Negotiable for Everyone

Perhaps nan astir symbolic alteration – and nan 1 that will impact nan top number of professionals – is nan extremity of nan seatbelt exemption for taxi drivers, transportation drivers and driving instructors erstwhile operating successful metropolis traffic.

Until now, these groups were allowed to thrust without a seatbelt successful municipality areas owed to predominant stops and nonstop relationship pinch passengers and clients. But from early 2026, nan seatbelt becomes compulsory for everyone, sloppy of nan travel aliases occupation.

Failing to buckle up will mean:

• €200 fine
• Loss of 4 points connected your licence

Only a fistful of exceptions remain, specified arsenic officially designated emergency vehicles aliases circumstantial manoeuvres for illustration reversing.

The connection from nan DGT is very overmuch 1 of consistency: if seatbelts prevention lives, past they should prevention each lives, including those who activity down nan instrumentality each day.

More visibility for scooters and transportation riders

Electric scooters – now a acquainted show successful cities crossed Spain—are nether peculiar scrutiny. From 2026, they must usage lights astatine each times, including during daylight hours. The purpose is simple: scooter users are often harder to spot successful traffic, and improved visibility is expected to trim collisions.

Because not each scooter presently connected nan marketplace has a lighting strategy tin of complying pinch this requirement, nan DGT is giving users until 2027 to afloat adapt. Manufacturers will besides person clip to update designs, meaning we whitethorn soon spot caller models specifically built to meet these rules.

Another important change: electrical scooters will nary longer beryllium allowed connected high-occupancy conveyance lanes (VAO). These lanes are meant to promote shared recreation and trim congestion, and nan DGT has made it clear they are not suitable for scooters. Anyone recovered violating this norm will consequence a €200 fine.

Meanwhile, transportation workers – those zig-zagging done postulation to get meals, groceries aliases parcels delivered connected clip – will person to deterioration high-visibility reflective vests, whether they usage scooters, bicycles aliases motorbikes. The norm applies some time and night, peculiarly because truthful galore deliveries now return spot aft dark.

This measurement is wide seen arsenic a nonstop consequence to nan emergence of gig-economy work, wherever ample numbers of riders are retired connected nan streets astatine each hours.

New Safety Standards for Motorcyclists and Roadside Situations

Motorcyclists will besides spot caller clothing requirements. From 2026, they must wear:

• Protective gloves
• Closed footwear (so nary sandals aliases flip-flops successful summer)
• A decently fastened helmet

The long-standing aesculapian exemption for not wearing a helmet is besides disappearing, which intelligibly shows nan DGT’s position: protective cogwheel must beryllium nan rule, not nan exception.

In addition, drivers will request to alteration really they behave erstwhile passing a conveyance that has surgery down aliases been progressive successful an accident. The caller norm requires:

• Reducing your velocity by astatine slightest 20 km/h beneath nan limit
• Maintaining astatine slightest 1.5 metres of lateral distance

If necessary, drivers must participate nan other lane to guarantee this space. The privilege present is protecting stranded drivers and roadside assistance teams, who are often moving successful vulnerable conditions.

A amended woody for pedestrians

Local councils will person 2 years to adopt caller rules preventing cars from parking adjacent pedestrian crossings, helping amended visibility. Priority will besides beryllium automatically extended to schoolhouse groups, subject units and processions erstwhile crossing.

Spain’s streets are changing – and these rules are astir reshaping mundane behaviour truthful that roads go safer, calmer and much predictable for everyone who uses them. The countdown to 2026 has already begun.

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