New driving and road legislation announced

[poker]

I say we should all stop drinking then . . . . .where would they get the taxxes from the alcohol sold then . . . . . .
Its all getting crazy . . . .
And yes I yust had a few glasses . . . .

[Guanche]

Well that's the end of the Carnival then......and every other fiesta! If you cannot drink any more than a glass of wine and walk down the street at the risk of being breathalyzed, you may as well close down every bar in town!

[Nova]

Another good reason to drink at home 

[Guanche]

I'll dring to dat.....hic!

[Janet]

This law has now been passed by Parliament and will come into force very shortly. Some main points in brief:

*Despite some confusion among drivers, Spain does not have a zero alcohol limit, but the limits are very strict. This new law does not change them, and they are 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood = 0.25 mg per litre of exhaled air. What the new law has changed, however, is the fine. For drivers who have double the permitted alcohol level, or second offenders, the fine has been doubled to €1,000, and there will also be a 6 point penalty. First offenders, or those with less than double the permitted alcohol level, the fine will be €500 with a 6 point penalty.

*Where there is indeed a zero tolerance is with drugs. If a driver's breath or blood test demonstrates the presence of any drugs at all,  the fine is €1.000, plus a 6 point penalty.

*If a driver refuses an alcohol test, s/he will be committing a further offence under article 383 of the Código Penal which can be penalised with a prison sentence of between six months and a year, and a driving ban of between one and four years. (First offenders won't be imprisoned). This is in addition to an automatic maximum €1,000 fine as though the driver had tested positive with double permitted alcohol level. Vehicles of drunk drivers will be impounded if there is no other (sober) driver who can take control.

*Speeding limits and fines (and point penalties) can be viewed in graphic form HERE.

*Driving without insurance will be fined at €1,500, and the vehicle impounded for a month.

*Drivers of cars with a device to inhibit or interfere with radar will be fined €6,000; workshops who install them will be fined €20,000, an amount intended to display the absolute prohibition on the installation of such devices. Drivers of cars with radar detectors will be fined €200 plus 3 penalty points.

*Cars with children as passengers which do not have the requisite seating can be impounded.

*Cyclists under 16 must wear a helmet on all roads.  JA

[Michael]

*Despite some confusion among drivers, Spain does not have a zero alcohol limit, but the limits are very strict. This new law does not change them, and they are 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood = 0.25 mg per litre of exhaled air. What the new law has changed, however, is the fine. For drivers who have double the permitted alcohol level, or second offenders, the fine has been doubled to €1,000, and there will also be a 6 point penalty. First offenders, or those with less than double the permitted alcohol level, the fine will be €500 with a 6 point penalty.

*Where there is indeed a zero tolerance is with drugs. If a driver's breath or blood test demonstrates the presence of any drugs at all,  the fine is €1.000, plus a 6 point penalty.

*If a driver refuses an alcohol test, s/he will be committing a further offence under article 383 of the Código Penal which can be penalised with a prison sentence of between six months and a year, and a driving ban of between one and four years. (First offenders won't be imprisoned). This is in addition to an automatic maximum €1,000 fine as though the driver had tested positive with double permitted alcohol level. Vehicles of drunk drivers will be impounded if there is no other (sober) driver who can take control.

That gives me a lovely warm fuzzy feeling. 

[Janet]

This law comes into force tomorrow, 9 May.

[Nova]

Why can't I find the bit about cars having to leave 1.5m gap when overtaking bicycles? 

I witnessed an interesting twist on this part of the law today when a motorcyclist came to pay a fine of €200 for not leaving 1.5m distance when overtaking waiting cars.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Happy to hear about that one. 

[Janet]

Scroll down around halfway to "«Artículo 25."

Doce. El apartado 4 del artículo 34 queda redactado en los siguientes términos:

«4. Todo conductor de vehículo automóvil que se proponga realizar un adelantamiento a un ciclo o ciclomotor, o conjunto de ellos deberá realizarlo ocupando parte o la totalidad del carril contiguo o contrario, en su caso, de la calzada y guardando una anchura de seguridad de al menos 1,5 metros. Queda expresamente prohibido adelantar poniendo en peligro o entorpeciendo a ciclistas que circulen en sentido contrario, incluso si esos ciclistas circulan por el arcén.»