Marbella, one of the major towns of the Andalucía region, is yet to adopt the national driving licence point deduction system that first came into effect on July 1st, 2006. The delay is pointed to the bureaucratic cycle, and now believed that it might take another six to eight months for its enforcement in Marbella.
The driving license point system of Spain aims to change the driving habit across the country thereby bringing down the number of road accidents and deaths. The result has already been recorded very much positive in countries like France, Italy and Germany.
However, the Costa del Sol region of Spain, including Marbella, which hosts huge number of foreign residents, has to consider the issue of permanent residency and registration of names in the population census to bring someone on the Register of Drivers and Offenders. The new law is applicable to those who hold a Spanish license.
European Union residents, who are running with license of their country of origin, are practically driving in a circumstance of legal loophole. As per the present system, when an EU resident, driving on his/her country driving license, commits an offence, the Spanish authority then can register details of the licence to bring it into the present point system from there on.
Nevertheless, those drivers without Spanish driving licences are subjected to pay all fines and other penalties when they commit any offence on Spanish roads. And those who have exchanged their driving licences for a Spanish one or those who are registered residents come directly under the new penalty system.
[It is to mention here that EU obliges member states to recognise each others’ driving licences.]
Again, the estimated number of foreign residents in Costa del Sol cities is not very much clear, although Marbella, Fuengirola and Mijas individually put a figure something around 40,000. Those who come for vacation and travel are asked to pay fine on the spot for each offence during the time period mentioned in their tourist visa; and anything more, only forces them to exchange their licence with a Spanish one.
Marbella is soon going to count on the new licence point system i.e. an essential step considering road safety and check on unruly drivers in the municipality. Up till now, the Local Police only impose fines on each offence, and once the new regulation comes into effect, the provincial tax collection agency will take note of each case and then Traffic Department will deduct the points from the licence.
Point System: An Overview
It awards 12 points to each driver with more than three years of experience while a newcomer only gets 8 points. Drivers are credited with two extra points after three successful years of driving without any offence and an additional point after three more years to get the maximum number of 15.
Loss of Two points
– Exceeding a speed limit of 21 to 30 kph
– Parking in a no park zone
– Carrying a passenger under 12 on a motorbike
– Lights: Driving without lights or using them incorrectly
– Radar: Using banned anti-radar equipment
– Driving a car in bus lane
Loss of Three points
– Crossing a speed limit of 31 to 40 kph
– driving without seatbelts or helmet
– use of mobile phones and other attention disruptive devices
– failure to maintain proper distance
– Making an illegal turn
Loss of four points
– Exceed speed limit by more than 40 kph
– Driving without the correct license
– Unauthorised vehicle
– Negligent driving
– Jumping a red light
– Driving with 0.25 mg/l and 0.5 mg/l alcohol/blood ratio
In addition, the highest number of point loss of up to ‘six’ comes with drunken driving when alcohol level is .50 mg/l, driving under the influence of drugs, refuse to undergo breath test and speeding at more than 50% of allowed maximum limit.
For more detailed information, you may visit the official website of Dirección General de Tráfico at: www.dgt.es/
