With 4,400 people losing their lives on the roads of Spain last year,
the Government hopes that the new points driving license, introduced on
July 1st 2006 will change driving habits across Spain. Similar schemes in Italy, France and Germany, have seen road deaths fall by as much as 40%.
People will still be fined for traffic offences as before, but most of
the offences will now see a deduction in the number of points on your
driving license. There is still a 90 € fine category for small offences
which sees no change in your points tally. Also if a fine is issued but
the driver at the time is not identified, then obviously no points can
be taken, although the fine can now reach 1,500 €.
Drivers with more than three years experience start with 12 points,
while new drivers are credited with eight. Drivers can get two extra
points after three years with no offences and a further point after
that after three more years to reach the maximum number of points – 15.
The points are to be deducted when the fine becomes fixed. When
you receive the letter with the fine there are three things you can do.
-
Pay up within a month and get a 30% discount and get the points deducted.
- Launch an appeal within 15 days.
- Do nothing. If you do nothing the fine is considered fixed in a month when your points will be deducted.
If
you leave the fine unpaid, you'll find the amount due taken
automatically from your tax rebate or directly from your bank account.
Drivers can check their current balance on the Traffic
Department website – www.dgt.es. The points can be considered as being
virtual in as much as should you renew your driving licence, your
points balance remains unchanged.
One thing to note is that the data is confidential. We are
promised that insurance companies will not have access to those who
have lost points, and so will be unable to alter their tariffs
accordingly. However there are already new insurance policies on the
market designed to attract those drivers who fear that they may lose
points, offering transport costs, or the cost of the course drivers
will have to take to recover lost points.
You can voluntarily take a course once every two years. This
consists of 12 hours of classes, 170 € cost and 4 points at the end
guaranteed. However if you lose your license you are obliged to take
another course of 24 hours of classes, 320 € cost and 8 points at the
end, provided you pass an exam. These new education centres are now
being established and the government has a target that by the start of
next year, all residents of the country will be no further than 30 kms
away from one.
"The traffic authorities say the new system will hit those
repeat offenders more than others and expect 6,000 drivers to lose
their license in the first year".
Passengers can lose points too. If you are a passenger in a car
and stopped not wearing your seat belt, then your license will still be
deducted the three points, even if the driver is wearing his.
Finally here’s a quick round up of how you can lose points
Speeding - Between 2 and 6 points depending on how far above the speed limit you were travelling.
Using the mobile phone or any other apparatus considered a distraction – 3 points.
Not using your seat belt or helmet for bike riders – 3 points.
Drink driving – 4 or 6 points.
Points can also be lost in the following circumstances:
2 points will be taken for:
-
Dangerous parking
- Using radar speed trap detectors
- Forgetting to turn on your headlights
- Taking a child under 12 as a passenger on a motorbike
3 points will be taken for:
- Making an illegal turn
- Driving too close to the vehicle in front
4 points will be taken for:
- Driving without the correct license
- Taking a vehicle onto a motorway that is not authorized
- Reversing on a motorway
- Dangerous driving or overtaking
- Blocking another driver from overtaking
- Jumping a red light
- Disobeying police instructions
- Throwing any dangerous objects from the car – this includes cigarette butts
- Driving with too many people in the vehicle
And finally 6 points will be taken for:
- For extreme dangerous driving, which could be, for example, taking part in racing, driving against the traffic and so on.
- Professional drivers risk losing six points if they do not respect official rest periods
Submitted by
David Blench