Winter clothes could lead to driving fines in Spain
Clothing and footwear that restricts movement constitutes a minor offence in Spain
With Christmas already on the doorstep and wintery weather taking hold in Spain, temperatures have dropped considerably and cars and have become veritable ice boxes, particularly in the early morning and the evenings. Just as we know the traffic authorities can dole out certain fines in the summer months to drivers wearing what could be considered unsafe clothing, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has warned that oversized overcoats or bulky boots could also lead to sanctions.
Dangerous clothing
While there is no regulation that expressly prohibits wearing uncomfortable clothing while driving, drivers must ensure that their attire allows them to safely and fully operate the vehicle. However, the General Traffic Regulation does allow officers to dish out fines if they believe motorists aren’t equipped to drive safely, or that their clothes could result in an accident.
Specifically, Article 3.1 stipulates that a driver must conduct himself with diligence and caution, and the decree further states that “the driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain his own freedom of movement, the necessary field of vision and permanent attention to driving, which guarantee his own safety, that of the rest of the occupants of the vehicle and that of other road users.”
Thus, the DGT maintains that a traffic officer can make a judgement call to determine if a winter coat is too thick, or gloves too bulky, to the extent that it reduces the driver’s mobility or interferes with the correct operation of the seatbelt. And in the same way that flip-flops can hinder access to the pedals, many officers may deem heavy boots with a sole that is too wide to be “dangerous”.
How much could it cost?
The decision to impose a sanction is at the discretion of the officer, but in general, driving without ensuring adequate freedom of movement is considered a minor offence and will result in an 80 euro fine. This is reduced to 40 euros if the motorist pays promptly, and the ticket must detail very clearly the reason for the sanction.
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