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Monday, 26 June 2006 |
PERMISO POR PUNTOS
 On 1 July 2006, a new points system is being introduced in Spain for traffic offences. It is different to the UK system in that you start off with an allocation, and have points deducted. If you reach zero points, you cannot drive and have to take steps to regain points.
This is our guide to the points system. Please note that thisiscostablanca.com provides this information for assistance only. Thisiscostablanca.com is not responsible to ensure that you are fully informed about the system. We strongly urge to check details from official sources such as www.permisoporpuntos.es. However, official sources in English are very hard to find.
DOES IT APPLY ONLY TO SPANISH LICENCES?
The simple answer is “No”. When you have a Spanish Driving Licence, your details are automatically enterered on a Register for Drivers and Traffic Offenders. This will be used to keep track of the points. If you are driving on a UK or any other EU licence, the host nation, in this case Spain, is allowed to enter your licence details onto its register if you commit an offence. You may ‘get away’ with your first offence, but not any subsequent offences.
HOW MANY POINTS DO YOU START WITH?
• 8 points if you have been driving for less than 3 years
• 12 points if you have been driving for more than 3 years
• 2 points will be added if you maintain a clean licence for 3 years
• 1 point will be added if you maintain a clean licence for a further 3 years
Thus the maximum number of points you can have at any given time is 15. You can check your points balance online at www.dgt.es.
LOSING POINTS FOR OFFENCES
If you commit a points deduction offence, you will be notified and then have 1 month to appeal. If you don’t appeal, or the authorities confirm the points deduction, the points are then deducted from your balance. The important thing here is that points will not be deductible at the road side by the Trafico Police.
Be aware that if you are a professional driver (e.g. taxi driver) the penalties can be harder.
DEDUCT 2 POINTS
• Exceeding the speed limit between 21kph and 30kph.
• Stopping or parking in pedestrian areas, or public transport lanes
• Use of radar detectors to avoid speed monitoring equipment
• Not using your lights when you are supposed to, or bad use of full beam
• Taking children less than 12 as a passenger on a motorcycle or moped (except for those permitted)
DEDUCT 3 POINTS
• Exceeding the speed limit by between 31kph and 40 kph
• Making a U-turn where not allowed
• Failure to maintain a safe distance
• Using a mobile phone without hands-free, or any other equipment which distracts you from driving including headphones.
• Failure to use seatbelts, crash helmets, or any other obligatory safety device
DEDUCT 4 POINTS
• Exceeding the speed limit by more than 40kph, unless you are exceeding the speed limit by more than 50%
• Driving over the legal alcohol limit
• Driving on a Motorway or Dual Carriageway with a vehicle that is not allowed on these types of roads
• Driving a vehicle without permission, or without the appropriate licence
• Discarding anything from your vehicle that can cause a fire or an accident
• Negligent driving, or driving in such a way which creates a risk for other road users.
• Jumping a red light, or a stop sign
• Reversing on a Motorway or Dual Carriageway
• Driving in a dangerous manner to endanger or obstruct cyclists
• Negligent driving
• Failure to obey instructions from officials
• Driving with more than 50% passengers than the number of authorized seats (with the exception of some buses)
• Speeding up when being overtaken
DEDUCT 6 POINTS
• Exceeding the speed limit by more than 50%
• Driving well over the limit
• Driving under the influence of drugs (including prescription drugs)
• Refusing to take a test for alcohol or drugs
• Dangerous driving, driving in the wrong direction, driving vehicles in races or competitions on the public highway that have not been authorized
• For professional drivers - drive for 50% more than the permitted number of hours or 50% lower than obligatory rest periods
RECOVERING POINTS
You can recover 4 points by attending a 12 hour road safety re-education course. However, you can only do this once every 2 years.
If you commit no further offences for the 2 year period after the points deduction, you will recover all your points lost to a maximum of 12 points. There is an exception in the case of very serious offences, in which case you have to wait 3 years.
If you lose all your points you can do nothing for 6 months. After that period, you must take a re-education course and a traffic theory test in the Traffic Headquarters. Assuming you pass both these courses, you will regain only 8 points.
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