Source El País  :)

Congress on Thursday passed new traffic legislation that will affect how motorists and cyclists use Spain’s roads. While the law will not come into effect for some months – and some of the reforms still need to be specified by a new regulation code slated for approval in June – these are some of the biggest changes to keep in mind when driving or pedaling along Spanish roads in the future.

1. Helmets mandatory in cities for cyclists under 16. After a long row over safety issues, the Popular Party has backtracked on its intention to make helmets mandatory for all riders within municipal limits. In the end, only minors will have to wear them. Not doing so could lead to fines of 200 euros for parents.

2. Small children may not ride in the front seat. Law enforcement officers will be able to stop and fine drivers carrying children under 1.35 meters in the front passenger seat, unless all the back seats are already taken up by other children also under the height limit (or the car has no back seats at all). Until now, under-12s could ride in the front as long as they had a booster seat or other approved retaining device. Taxis will have to follow the same rules, but parents, not taxi drivers, will be held accountable for violations. Fines can also reach 200 euros.

3. Bigger fines for drunk driving. Driving with double the allowed limit of alcohol in the blood will now mean a fine of 1,000 euros rather than 500. Those caught driving under the influence twice within the same year will get slapped with a 2,000-euro fine the second time round.

4. Fines for driving after taking drugs. The new law eliminates the need to prove that drug use influenced a person’s driving. Now, all it takes is a saliva test: if the result shows the presence of drugs in the body, drivers will be presented with a 1,000-euro fine regardless of whether the substances affected their driving or not. Prescription drugs are excluded.

5. Alcohol and drug tests for pedestrians. Pedestrians caught violating a traffic regulation – by crossing the road at the wrong place, for instance – will be obliged to submit to a drug and alcohol test. Until now, this was only the case if they were involved in an accident.

6. New speed limits. While the current speed limit on highways and freeways is 120km/h, the reforms contemplate raising this to 130km/h. The new code scheduled for approval in June will determine where and when this speed may be legally reached. Penalties will be the same: starting at 100 euros for vehicles going up to 150km/h.

7. No minimum speed restrictions for bicycles. This reform aims to solve a problem faced by cyclists in cities. Until now, vehicles could not travel at a speed below 50 percent of the limit. This was a problem for cyclists in spots such as Madrid’s Cuesta de la Vega, a steep slope where riders have a hard time going faster than 25km/h. Freeways remain off-limits to cyclists.

8. Ban on speed camera detectors and jammers. The new legislation expressly prohibits the use of speed camera detectors: drivers caught using them will be liable to fines of 200 euros and the loss of three points on their license. Speed camera jammers are considered much more serious and entail penalties of 6,000 euros and six points off the permit. Only alert systems offering information about the locations of speed cameras based on databases will be legal. Drivers with GPS devices incorporating speed camera detection capabilities will have to deactivate this option.

9. Foreign residents must register their vehicles. Because foreigners living in Spain were not under the obligation to register their cars here, in practice it was difficult to get them to pay traffic fines or submit to controls. The new regulations will determine the deadlines and conditions for vehicle registration.

10. Road works. It will be considered a serious offense to conduct any kind of road works without first informing the pertinent traffic authorities.

11. Road debris. Dropping items of any kind on the road will carry high penalties because of “the danger it poses to other road users.”

12. Inspecting driving schools. Hindering health department or traffic inspectors trying to carry out checks on driving schools and other vehicle-related centers will be considered an offense.

13. Police can fine vehicles without stopping them. Officers will be able to fine vehicles without hailing them down if they are performing duties that prevent them from doing so or giving chase.

14. Drivers to be responsible in accidents involving game animals. Until now, such accidents were only blamed on drivers if they were in violation of the rules of the road, otherwise the state or the owner of the hunting preserve were held accountable. Under the new law, drivers will always be considered to blame unless it can be proven that the animal stormed the road as a result of a big-game hunt held that day or within 12 hours of one having taken place. The state will only be accountable if it fails to provide proper warning signals or to mend broken fences. In practice what this means is that no compensation will be handed out in the event of a driver being killed or seriously injured after a collision with an animal on one of Spain’s nearly 25,000 hunting preserves.

15. 50 percent discount for early fine payment extended to 20 days. This is up from the current 15 days.

16. Environmental restrictions. Vehicles may be barred from entering certain roadways based on environmental criteria. The Environment Ministry will establish the exact rules governing this point.

17. New reasons for immobilizing vehicles. As well as the vehicles of drivers who let children ride without the proper safety devices, authorities will also be able to immobilize those being driven without the proper permit (a C permit in the case of vehicles weighing between 3,500kg and 7,500kg and a D permit in the case of buses).

18. Ban on taking unsafe vehicles to other countries. This article is an application of the United Nations’ Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, which aims to discourage the importing and exporting of new or used vehicles deemed unsafe.

19. Priority for tow trucks. Tow trucks on their way to assist motorists will have right of way and have to be treated the same way as ambulances.

20. Fewer driving restrictions for cancer patients. Right now cancer sufferers are hardly ever allowed to drive, unless their doctor takes it up with the traffic authority. But improved medical treatment is set to be reflected in the new road rules, which will place fewer restrictions on patients.

Law passed 20th March 2014

Vehicles on British plates used in private or business must be transferred to Spanish plates after one month.remember the word is MUST.
The only exceptions are people on holiday. Police have various ways to check British vehicles ie insurance/MOT/and Reg/Local docs Both about you and your vehicle. This is going to be enforced.Mossi blackberrys have direct access to the police/insurance data bases. In short all UK vehicles after one month must be on Spanish plates.Large fines as well as vehicles being impounded await.The days of buying an old banger off ebay and if impounded who cares are gone they will now take you before a court and get the cash for the fines. I am sure your bar room lawyer will tell you in Catalonia they are years behind it will not happen. Remember the Mossis know all the back roads/tracks. Every day you can see them doing their little road blocks and they will be checking UK vehicles and the one's I have encountered speak English. 

All these new laws passed on the 20th March 2014 become law a month and a day after being passed so from the 21st April 2014 or thereabouts.

Bunter wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 4:11am:

Law passed 20th March 2014 Vehicles on British plates used in private or business must be transferred to Spanish plates after one month.remember the word is MUST. The only exceptions are people on holiday. Police have various ways to check British vehicles ie insurance/MOT/and Reg/Local docs Both about you and your vehicle. This is going to be enforced.Mossi blackberrys have direct access to the police/insurance data bases. In short all UK vehicles after one month must be on Spanish plates.Large fines as well as vehicles being impounded await.The days of buying an old banger off ebay and if impounded who cares are gone they will now take you before a court and get the cash for the fines. I am sure your bar room lawyer will tell you in Catalonia they are years behind it will not happen. Remember the Mossis know all the back roads/tracks. Every day you can see them doing their little road blocks and they will be checking UK vehicles and the one's I have encountered speak English.

So what happens in my case? I have a pickup truck which is fully MOT'd taxed and insured in Gibraltar with a uk company and the insurance is for any amount of time in any European country, with breakdown cover.
Being a pickup it is classed as a light commercial vehicle, (even though I only use it for personal use, not business) so therefore it cannot be put on Spanish plates. Their law from last year.
I also spend time in France and the UK so the vehicle is not permanently in Spain, but is off and on throughout the year.

As numerous posts have stated over many years on the Forum,
there are many insurance companies that will take your money, and insure any vehicles here.
If  people have a major accident, and try to claim, they will find out that the insurance is void.
Also local ITV stations here are only willing to take your money!
I think it's best to abide by the rules/law in the country you reside in, at least for peace of mind, and to stop it becoming a nasty and costly experience.

Ritaratbag wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 7:40am:

As numerous posts have stated over many years on the Forum, there are many insurance companies that will take your money, and insure any vehicles here. If  people have a major accident, and try to claim, they will find out that the insurance is void. Also local ITV stations here are only willing to take your money! I think it's best to abide by the rules/law in the country you reside in, at least for peace of mind, and to stop it becoming a nasty and costly experience.

Rita in my case my MOT was done in the UK not Spain
My insurance is with a UK company and my vehicle is shown as being insured on the UK vehicle insurance register. I use the Gibraltar office as then I can get fully comprehensive cover for as long as I like in any European country, ie it is not limited to only 90 days in Spain as it would be if it was bought in the uk. My brother is an insurance broker, so this has been checked.
I cannot register the right hand pickup truck in Spain as their NEW regulations will not allow it. I am not resident here in Spain I live and pay taxes in the uk, but I do visit for prolonged stays in Spain and France and Bulgaria

That,s interesting about getting insurance in Gibraltar, that,s always been a prob on my mind :o as cannot see me ever buying a car/van  only for the use in Spain.
is it a specific company or are all Gibraltar insurance companies offering same deal.
Thanks for the help

philmountains wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 5:45pm:

That,s interesting about getting insurance in Gibraltar, that,s always been a prob on my mind :o as cannot see me ever buying a car/van  only for the use in Spain. is it a specific company or are all Gibraltar insurance companies offering same deal. Thanks for the help

http://www.abbeygateinsure.com/faq.php

philmountains wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 5:45pm:

That,s interesting about getting insurance in Gibraltar, that,s always been a prob on my mind :o as cannot see me ever buying a car/van  only for the use in Spain. is it a specific company or are all Gibraltar insurance companies offering same deal. Thanks for the help

No idea as I didn't ask. I arranged my insurance through CIS who advertises on here. Very helpful and easy. Give Mary a ring

From 9th May 2014 The new laws take effect


http://spanishnewstoday.com/new-spanish-road-traffic-and-safety-laws-become-law_19893-a.html

One Sunday afternoon recently in the village the police spent some time writing down the numbers of all the GB plated cars that were around. People wondered why as they did not do anything else I wonder if it is connected to this new law.?