Common Offences Committed by Drivers in Spain

There are a number of common infractions dealt with on a daily basis, and to be clear, each one of these, which results in a fine, can be avoided by simply doing the right thing.

According to the DGT (Directorate-General for Traffic) in Spain, the most common violations, and those that generate the most reports over the course of a year on our roads, are these, in direct order:

• Speeding​
• Alcohol and drug use
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Mobile phone use

So, and be honest, ask yourself, “when was the last time I did any of those?” In fact, if you want to add a bit of a social media fun element to the question, “give yourself 1 point for each of those you did last time you drove?”

If you scored zero, you are either a saint, or a liar! Many people would score 2, but that also means that we are all committing road traffic offences on a regular basis. Which, in turn, means that we are all putting each other at risk, and so, the fines are justified, and will hopefully be a lesson not to do it again.

However, the Traffic Department also warns us that other violations are becoming more common and are growing in importance, such as driving with an expired licence, not having an up-to-date ITV (in fact, the latest data shows an absence from inspections exceeding 30 percent) or driving without mandatory vehicle insurance.

There are also two more offences which are starting to creep up the charts, and although they are not as common as the top offences, they are particularly significant because they seriously compromise road safety.

Specifically, according to the DGT, an increasing offence is “failing to respect pedestrian priority at a crossing”, a serious offence leading to a 200 euro fine and the loss of up to 6 points.

And the problem IS serious, because pedestrians are the most vulnerable users on the road, and if a person is in collision with a vehicle, the outcome is often fatal for the pedestrian.

Of course, pedestrians cannot just step onto the road, they must make sure that it is safe to do so, but if you see someone waiting or starting to cross the road at a crossing, make sure you respect the priorities established in law.

The second offence whish is increasing, although for both of these it is possible that the increase is in people getting caught, rather than the practice, is “ignoring the safety distance”, in other words, driving too close to the vehicle in front, an offence that results in a 200 euro fine and loss of 4 points.

The practice is especially dangerous and leads to too many crashes, and as was revealed in a UK survey some time ago, a not surprising 99% of rearend collisions are caused by the rear driver.

Finally, a reminder, these rules, and their associated fines, apply to all vehicles, not just cars, but motorbikes, cyclists, scooters, etc.