Can drivers in Spain be fined for displaying multiple ITV stickers?
Many motorists in Spain drive with a collection of coloured stickers on their windshield
The date of the next Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV) test is something which most drivers in Spain will have marked on their calendars, as missing this important appointment means that a car cannot legally be driven and flouters face an expensive fine.
Similar to the MOT in the UK, the ITV test serves to ensure that vehicles are safe to continue travelling on Spanish roads. Cars more than a decade old will have to go through the procedure annually, while vehicles with more recent registration will be subject to the test every two years.
In addition to being dangerous, not passing the ITV can lead to a financial outlay, since the fine for skipping this procedure amounts to 200 euros.
Assuming a vehicle passes the inspection, drivers are given a sticker that must be placed in the upper right-hand corner of the windshield, on the inside of the car. The sticker must be clearly visible and is mandatory, in accordance with the General Vehicle Regulations.
But what about the common sight of cars with several of these coloured stickers on the windshield? Is it legal, or can drivers face a fine?
According to the traffic authorities, keeping stickers from previous inspections and placing the new one on the glass in addition is simply bad practice as having a collection on the windscreen could easily impede visibility and cause an accident, the very thing the ITV test aims to avoid in the first place.
Article 19 of the General Traffic Regulations establishes that the windscreen must allow the driver to see clearly, without interference from stickers or adhesives. The text is very much open to interpretation, but it essentially means that the decision is at the discretion of the traffic officer, who would be within their rights to issue a fine if they believed the ITV stickers were posing a risk.
Image: Archive
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