Tráfico drink and drugs campaign this week

[Janet]

Tráfico will be carrying out one of its regular national drink and drugs campaigns this week, lasting until Sunday, 11 June. Readers regularly comment that it's about time they did something about the issue, but of course they police this all year round, and these are just specific additional campaigns. Drivers can therefore expect to see extra control points in addition to normal policing of drink- and drug-affected motorists. Police say that some 25,000 control checks will be carried out daily, on all types of roads.

Tráfico reminds drivers that there are strict alcohol limits in Spain of 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood = 0.25 mg per litre of exhaled air (slightly stricter for "professional" and newly-qualified drivers – 0.3g/l). As a general guide, two small glasses of wine or one small can of beer reaches the limit for a man of average build and weighing around 12 stone. Although there's not a zero limit with alcohol, there is an absolute one with drugs, where even the slightest trace in a driver's saliva test is an offence.

Fines are €1,000 and a 6 point penalty for drivers who have double the permitted alcohol level, or who are second offenders. For first offenders, or those with less than double the permitted alcohol level, the fine is €500 and a 6 point penalty. Drivers who refuse an alcohol or drugs test are 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. Any drugs detected will result in a €1,000 fine and a 6 point penalty.

Vehicles of drunk or drugged drivers will be impounded if there is no other (sober) driver who can take control.

[Michael]

No license suspension? That's not exactly what i'd call 'doing something about the problem'. 

[Nova]

No license suspension? That's not exactly what i'd call 'doing something about the problem'. 

A 6 point penalty is pretty much the same thing. I think in the UK you lose your licence at 12 points?  Licences only have 6 points on them here and once you've lost them all your licence is effectively revoked until the penalty expires.

[Janet]

I believe a ban is automatic so doesn't need to be expressed if you are caught drink driving. And after the ban expires you don't just get it back but have to retake the driving test.

[Anne 2009]

and I believe that if you lose your licence for drink driving you don't just get it back at the expiry of the penalty, but you have to retake the driving test.

Over here, if people are caught for speeding(not sure if it includes drink driving) they can opt to go on a course, which cuts there points down. Do they have this in Tenerife @Janet ?

[Janet]

no, not as an option though they can be made to attend one. I was just checking up on this because it's not something I keep at the front of my mind, but there are two types of sanctions for road offences here, and what they've outlined above are the "administrative" sanctions of fines and penalty points. These are obviously variable depending on a range of factors (like how much over a limit one might be), but the other type of sanction is a criminal one and doesn't need to be expressed because it's automatic. 

So: I haven't got time to translate this now but will come back to it unless someone else does it:

LAS SANCIONES

El capítulo IV del Código Penal tipifica los delitos contra la seguridad del tráfico y establece distintas penas por conducir con exceso de alcohol o bajo la influencia de las drogas. Estas son las sanciones:

Alcohol:- Tasa superior a 0,60 mg/l en aire y 1,2 gr/l en sangre: prisión de tres a seis meses o multa de seis a doce meses o trabajos en beneficio de la comunidad de 30 a 90 días, y privación del derecho a conducir de uno hasta cuatro años.- Negativa a someterse a las pruebas: Prisión de seis meses a un año y privación del derecho a conducir de uno a cuatro años.

Drogas:- La ley prohíbe conducir con presencia de drogas en el organismo, quedando excluidas las sustancias que se usen bajo prescripción médica y con una finalidad terapéutica.- Conducir bajo los efectos de las drogas está catalogada como una infracción muy grave, castigada con una sanción de 1.000 euros y la retirada de seis puntos.

Las sanciones por vía administrativa:

Alcohol:-Más de 0,25 ,g/l y hasta 0,50 mg/l: sanción de 500 euros y 4 puntos.- Más de 0,50 mg/l: sanción de 1.000 euros y 6 puntos. - Reincidentes: 1.000 euros y 4 o 6 puntos -dependiendo de la tasa dada).

Drogas (penas por vía penal):- Conducir bajo la influencia de drogas tóxicas, estupefacientes o sustancias psicotrópicas: prisión de tres a seis meses o multa de seis a doce meses o trabajos en beneficio de la comunidad de 30 a 90 días, y privación del derecho a conducir de uno hasta cuatro años. - Negativa a someterse a las pruebas: Prisión de seis meses a un año y privación del derecho a conducir de uno a cuatro años.

(Nova I don't think it's 6 points ... I think it's 12 for a driver of 3 years experience (8 for a less experienced driver), and a maximum of 15 for those who've gained 3 points for not having infractions for 3 years ... link ...) ...

[Janet]

That translation: 
 
SANCTIONS

Traffic safety offences are defined by Chapter IV of the Criminal Code which establishes various penalties as follows for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs:

Alcohol: over 0.60 mg/l in air and 1.2 g/l in blood: prison of 3-6 months or a fine of 6-12 months (a financial fine applied at a rate of up to €400 a day at the discretion of a judge) or community service of 1-3 months, in addition to a driving ban of 1-4 years. Refusal to take a breath or blood test: prison of 6-12 months plus driving ban of 1-4 years.

Drugs: Driving with any drugs is banned apart from medically prescribed substances. Driving with detectable drugs is classified as a very serious oiffence with penalty of €1,000 plus loss of 6 points. 

Administrative sanctions : (these are in addition to those above)

Alcohol:  0.25- 0.50 mg/l €500 and 4 points; over 0.50 mg/l €1,000 and 6 points. Repeat offenders €1,000 and 4 or 6 points - depending on the alcohol reading).

Drugs (sentenced as criminal rather than civil offence): Driving under the influence of toxic drugs, narcotics or psychotropic substances prison of 3-6 months or fine of 6-12 months or community service of 1-3 months, in addition to a driving ban of 1-4 years. Refusal to be tested - prison of 6-12 months and driving ban of 1-4 years.