Traffic fines and how to deal with them
One of the most important aspects to consider when changing your residency to a new country, whether temporarily or permanently, is to be familiar wtih the traffic regulations. There are significant differences between EU countries, what for expatriates may not be an offence in their home country may be just that in Spain and may even involve a monetary fine.
Here´s some advice, from a leading insurer, on how to avoid incurring unnecessary fines and on how to act if you do receive a fine of any kind from the Spanish authorities.
With the recent reform of the fining code, non-resident foreigners in Spain who commit an offence could have the loss of points noted against their driving licence and will be prohibited from driving for one month. The previous situation where non-residents were exempt in these situations has now been resolved in this way.
The radar´s margin of error has also been eliminated. If previously, you drove at 133 km/h on a motorway where the speed limit is 120 km/h and were not fined, now, if you are driving at 121 km/h you can be fined 100€ with no loss of points.
Expatriates can pay the fine at the time they are stopped by the police or Guardia Civil. It is important to request a receipt or proof of this payment to avoid any future confusion.
If your vehicle registration number is caught on a radar as illegible or too dirty to read, the vehicle owner will receive a 200€ fine and could lose 4 points from his/her licence. The use of an anti-radar system could lead to a loss of 6 points from your licence.
From now on, the Spanish authorities may send you a reminder by email which speeds up the notification process. You have 30 days to pay the fine, after which it may be considered to be a serious offence and lead to legal proceedings.
Once you receive the offence notification, you will have 15 days in which a prompt payment discount is applied and this can reduce your bill by up to 40%.
When charged with an offence, you will be requested to identify the vehicle driver at the time of the incident. This will have to be done within a specific period of time or permission to drive the vehicle will be withdrawn until the matter has been resolved.
Do remember that if you receive any fines or notifications, your insurance company will be able to assist you.
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