I found this graphical illustration on the El Mundo website. Although it's in Spanish only, you get the idea of the offences and penalties very easily. Brilliant graphics.
It is relevant to any driver on an EU licence, since although your licence cannot be endorsed at the time, details are sent to your licence issuing authority and will be noted when you come to renew your licence. You will still be fined and these now go up to €600 for 'very serious' offences.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Monday, July 03, 2006
La Kordoniz
La Kordoniz celebrates its first birthday.I picked out this one as you don´t need to be a Spanish speaker to appreciate the humour.
(c) Josetxu Rodríguez, de "Caduca Hoy", Diario Deia
Las Noticias de tráfico
The first part of the story is encouraging.
From CanariasAhora.com 2 July
15 people die on the first weekend of the summer holidays. Although this is ten less than the same weekend last year when 25 people lost their lives on Spanish roads. It appears that the high number of drivers having points deducted from their licences has had a deterrent effect this year.
In Cataluña the Mossos d'Esquadra have deducted 1,861 points from drivers licences in the first 24 hours of the new regime. This involved 514 reports and four drivers have lost their licences. One of these lost a total of 16 points (he, like all other drivers started with 12 points) for incorrect manoevres, excess alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt and driving without a licence.
In Galicia yesterday, a total of 234 drivers (only 11 women) lost a total of 863 points, mainly for excess alcohol.
In Asturias 61 drivers lost a total of 250 points and excess alcohol was gain the principal cause (opver 50%).
In Cuidad Real a total of 26 drivers, all male, six of whom were under 25 lost a total of 112 points, again excess alcohol the principal cause.
If I seem to be harping on about the subject, I make no apologies. If the little extra publicity from this blog helps in some way to make the Spanish come to terms with the stupidity shown by such large numbers of drivers, and this in turn helps to save lives, then it's worth making myself unpopular.
Just remember for every drunk driver caught, there are probably another 100 out there who didn't get caught this time. In other words there were probably over 50,000 drunk drivers out there on Spanish roads this weekend!
From CanariasAhora.com 2 July
15 people die on the first weekend of the summer holidays. Although this is ten less than the same weekend last year when 25 people lost their lives on Spanish roads. It appears that the high number of drivers having points deducted from their licences has had a deterrent effect this year.
In Cataluña the Mossos d'Esquadra have deducted 1,861 points from drivers licences in the first 24 hours of the new regime. This involved 514 reports and four drivers have lost their licences. One of these lost a total of 16 points (he, like all other drivers started with 12 points) for incorrect manoevres, excess alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt and driving without a licence.
In Galicia yesterday, a total of 234 drivers (only 11 women) lost a total of 863 points, mainly for excess alcohol.
In Asturias 61 drivers lost a total of 250 points and excess alcohol was gain the principal cause (opver 50%).
In Cuidad Real a total of 26 drivers, all male, six of whom were under 25 lost a total of 112 points, again excess alcohol the principal cause.
If I seem to be harping on about the subject, I make no apologies. If the little extra publicity from this blog helps in some way to make the Spanish come to terms with the stupidity shown by such large numbers of drivers, and this in turn helps to save lives, then it's worth making myself unpopular.
Just remember for every drunk driver caught, there are probably another 100 out there who didn't get caught this time. In other words there were probably over 50,000 drunk drivers out there on Spanish roads this weekend!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Tráfico
This story shows why the licensing system had to change in Spain.
Madrid, 1 July, Europa Press
A total of 263 people died in the 235 recorded accidents on Spanish roads this June; 17 less than the same month last year. For the first half of the year 1,337 fatal accidents occurred in which 1,523 people died [104 alone in one week - Semana Santa], though this is 56 less than the first half of 2005.
The press is very busy at the moment with speculation on how much the points-based licence will reduce accidents; estimates vary between a 3% and 20% reduction in fatalities. Time will tell.
Madrid, 1 July, Europa Press
A total of 263 people died in the 235 recorded accidents on Spanish roads this June; 17 less than the same month last year. For the first half of the year 1,337 fatal accidents occurred in which 1,523 people died [104 alone in one week - Semana Santa], though this is 56 less than the first half of 2005.
The press is very busy at the moment with speculation on how much the points-based licence will reduce accidents; estimates vary between a 3% and 20% reduction in fatalities. Time will tell.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Sabia que va a pasar
This story comes as no surprise. I was surprised it took just four hours into the new licensing scheme!
Seville, 1 July, Europa Press
A youth from the Luisiana district of Seville is likely to be the first driver in Spain to lose all twelve points on his driving licence (the points system came into force at midnight 1 July). The Guardia Civil have recommended he lose all points following his arrest at 04:00 this morning for various offences.
The accused was drivng on the A-4 in Écija in a zig-zag fashion, for which reason officers of the Benemérita stopped him, as this constituted 'dangerous driving'. According to the official report, the officers saw obvious signs of drunkenness and asked the driver to give a breath test, which the youth refused.
Under the new rules, the officers asked the provincial traffic department to take away all the drivers points (12); six for dangerous driving and the rest for refusing a breath test.
Let's hope he gets the maximum penalty and the maximum publicity - there are too many idiots like him on Spanish roads.
Seville, 1 July, Europa Press
A youth from the Luisiana district of Seville is likely to be the first driver in Spain to lose all twelve points on his driving licence (the points system came into force at midnight 1 July). The Guardia Civil have recommended he lose all points following his arrest at 04:00 this morning for various offences.
The accused was drivng on the A-4 in Écija in a zig-zag fashion, for which reason officers of the Benemérita stopped him, as this constituted 'dangerous driving'. According to the official report, the officers saw obvious signs of drunkenness and asked the driver to give a breath test, which the youth refused.
Under the new rules, the officers asked the provincial traffic department to take away all the drivers points (12); six for dangerous driving and the rest for refusing a breath test.
Let's hope he gets the maximum penalty and the maximum publicity - there are too many idiots like him on Spanish roads.
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