New electric scooter laws on the way: Spain will ban under 16s from riding
A full reform of the law in Spain will also require all scooter users to wear a helmet
Most people feel it should have been done eons ago, but Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is finally getting around to drawing up a comprehensive set of rules to govern electric scooters throughout the country, rather than each town hall deciding on their own regulations.
Apparently, the DGT has been working on these guidelines for the past three years, but the royal decree was only opened up to public consultation on Wednesday June 26 and the final text will have to be approved by the Council of Ministers before it comes into force.
While there’s still plenty of time for amendments, the current version of the proposed decree includes lots more safety measures, such as a blanket ban on electric scooter riding for anyone under the age of 16 and mandatory helmets and reflective vests.
The DGT is also said to be working on legislation that will require all electric scooter users to take out mandatory insurance if they wish to use their personal mobility vehicles on public streets.
One of the new aspects of the legislation is that the blood alcohol levels for novice and professional drivers will drop to 0.20 grams per litere of blood alcohol (the limit is now 0.30) or 0.15 milligrams per litre of exhaled air (0.10 currently). And while the traffic authorities won’t be able to deduct any points from driving licences, the fines for scooting while under the influence will likely carry the same monetary fines as drink driving.
The reform also states that personal mobility vehicles, which includes scooters, will only be allowed in urban areas, and that each device must carry “at least” one “luminous or retroreflective element”; in other words, they’ll need lights at night.
It will become mandatory for scooter users to signal using their arms, as these vehicles usually don’t have indicators and, finally, anyone using a scooter for work purposes will be expected to wear a high-visibility reflective vest.
The Spanish government hasn’t yet indicated when these rules come into play but once they do, they will supersede any regulations currently enforced by the individual town and city halls.
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