How to spot undercover traffic police in Spain
Unmarked police vans have been patrolling the roads in Spain since 2018
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is on a major mission to cut down on accidents in Spain, and with good reason: around 200 people lose their lives in traffic accidents in Spain each year.
For this very reason, the DGT has upped its surveillance and uses several different means to detect rule breaking, such as eye-in-the-sky drones, helicopters and automated cameras, the newest of which can tell if drivers suddenly slow down to avoid speed traps before taking off again.
One of the most successful tools at the disposal of traffic cops is camouflaged vans, which are designed to cruise the roads just like other vehicles and are particularly good at spotting mobile phone use and seat belt infractions. Because the DGT vans are higher than the normal patrol cars, they offer a better view into the vehicles they are targeting.
How to spot the DGT undercover vehicles
The camouflaged vans are actually pretty easy to pick out. Most are distinctive white Ford Transits, but the authorities in Spain also use blue and grey vans. They are anonymous in the sense that they don’t have ‘DGT’ stamped across the side, but the licence plates are the real giveaway.
The number plates of the undercover traffic police are white with black writing, and always begin with the letters ‘PGC’ followed by four digits and another letter sequence. These letters identify them as vans belonging to the Civil Guard – Policía Guardia Civil.
Other police forces use a similar system to identify their vehicles. For example, plates with the letters ‘CNP’ identify the vans as belonging to the National Police Corps (Cuerpo Nacional de Policía), while ‘ET’ means the vehicles are driven by the Army (Ejercito de Tierra).
For private vehicles, big changes are coming to licence plates with September with the introduction of a new letter and number sequence beginning with ‘M’.
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Image: SocialDrive
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