No, The DGT is NOT Planning to Fine Lone Drivers!

Have you heard that the DGT (Directorate General of Traffic) is going to fine drivers who travel alone in their cars? It has been going around social media recently, creating a wave of controversy, and as is quite often the case with these viral, exaggerated stories, you will be pleased to know that it is NOT true!

What IS true is that mobility experts have long pointed out the importance of avoiding solo travel and trying to optimise journeys by filling every seat. This is the philosophy behind high-occupancy lanes, which, as their name suggests, are reserved not only for buses but also for vehicles with several passengers, in Spanish, known as Vehículos Alta Ocupación, or VAO on the signs and stickers associated with their use.

It is also true that if vehicles were more suited to the travelling occupants, the traffic flow would be smoother, and congestion reduced. An example of this you can see yourself in any town or city where congestion gathers. Just spend 10 minutes counting the vehicles and their occupants, and then convert your figures to suitable vehicles, so as bicycles, or even e-scooters, or at the other end of the scale, buses, and you will see a difference in your calculation which would save road space.

The first VAO lane in Spain was launched in Madrid, on the A6 motorway. It is said that in 10 years, this measure has reduced the percentage of single-occupant cars on this road by up to 47 percent. Currently, we can find such lanes in Granada, Barcelona, ​​and Seville, among other cities.

The purpose of these lanes is to ease traffic congestion (the A6 towards Madrid was chosen because it was a point where traffic jams were recorded daily). The idea is that only cars with a passenger can use the lane, thus ensuring smoother traffic. However, be careful: using a HOV lane without meeting the high-occupancy requirement carries a fine of 200 euro. And, herin lies the root of the confusion.

Fines for driving alone?

For days, rumours have been circulating on the Internet and social media indicating that the DGT is considering a new measure that would fine drivers who travel alone.

The information comes after statements made some time ago by the Director General of Traffic, Pere Navarro, in which he highlighted data such as the fact that 85% of vehicles traveling from home to work and from work to home each day do so with only one occupant. “The future of traffic will be shared, or it will not exist,” Navarro said. Perhaps a too-firm statement, it has given rise to all sorts of speculation.

“Increasing vehicle occupancy at the entrances and exits of large cities is both a challenge and a necessity,” said Pere Navarro. He added: “We must make a collective change in mentality that allows us to encourage high vehicle occupancy, because we can’t afford to move 1,500 kilos every day to transport one person.”

And that’s it. Pere Navarro’s intention is to encourage carpooling to ease congestion at peak traffic times and points and, at the same time, reduce polluting emissions (fewer cars, less pollution). But the DGT has never mentioned fining those who use their cars alone.

Finally, and to give further credence to the hoax, some claim that Pere Navarro is considering copying the French model. France has announced that starting in May, it will fine those traveling alone in specific lanes, which will be reserved during certain time slots for vehicles with at least two people. In other words, in this case, France will copy what Spain has been doing for decades as mentioned at the beginning of this article.