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reaking the driving laws? What can you
get as a result?
The following tables are a list of
what the Spanish policing authorities use to decide what sanction to charge
drivers after they have been stopped for an infraction of the laws. They
have been in force for some time but knowing them will perhaps help you to
realise what can happen if you are “naughty” as many drivers out there are.
The sanctions are not mandatory, but a guide of the limits the police can
use remembering that all that patrol the roads in Spain are guided by
Trafico who I responsible for all Traffic matters.
Since the 1st July 2006
when the system of driving licence penalty points started, to the end of
2008, the following statistics have been issued by Trafico.
1.
45.711 drivers have lost (been suspended) their
driving licences (DLs) due to breaking traffic laws.
2.
5.535 persons have lost more than 20 points. So on
average they have lost their DLs twice. One could say that they are not
learning and should really be suspended for say 10 years as well as take the
driving-test again. But there is a system I place for them to recover their
licence as described in detail in the book.
3.
A total of 2.300.632 denuncias accompanies the
losses of points. 923.367 for speeding (40, 14%); 437.148 for not wearing a
seat-belt or a crash helmet properly secured. (19 %): 278.018 for using a
mobile phone (12, 08%): 236.239 for over the alcohol limits (10, 27%): and
425.860 for other reasons (18, 51%).
4.
As there are reported to be around 25 million
drivers in Spain, the overall percentage for every crime is 9, 2%.
5.
There are still a total of 7.346.373 points
outstanding to be finalised in addition to the above.
Tables
of possible sanctions.
TABLES
OF FINES AND SENTENCES (AT ROAD-SIDE), IF ACCEPTED, alternative IS going to
Court: AS
AT
MAY 2009.
|
Possible Two
Points loss. |
|
Crime charged. |
Sentence, Fine-Euros. |
Possibly also Banned for? |
|
Exceeding the posted
speed limit by 21 to 30 kph. |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Parking causing a
risk to other road users. |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Using an unapproved
system to detect radar speed traps. |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Possible
Three Points loss. |
|
Crime charged. |
Sentence, Fine-Euros. |
Possibly also Banned for? |
|
Exceeding the posted
speed limit by 21 to 30 kph |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Using a
non-hands-free mobile phone, ear-speakers or any device/object that
distracts the driver while on highway.* |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Not using a seat
belt/child seats (all in vehicle), an approved crash helmet securely
fastened, or using any other obligatory safety need. |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
-
This includes while
stationery on the hard-shoulder or any public place where traffic has
access, etc.
|
Possible
Four Points loss. |
|
Crime charged. |
Sentence, Fine-Euros. |
Possibly also Banned for? |
|
Exceeding the posted
speed limit by 41 to 50 kph. |
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Driving with alcohol
in air (Breathalyser) from 0, 25 TO 0, 5 Mg/litre of blood. |
301 to 600 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Not respecting the
laws of priority of passage, incl. at Stop signs and traffic lights.
|
91 to 300 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Possible Six
Points loss. |
|
Crime |
Sentence, Fine-Euros. |
Possibly also Banned for? |
|
Driving in excess of
181 kph on an autopista, 136 kph on a carretera and 81 kph in an urban
(town) area. |
301 to 600 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Driving with alcohol
in air from 0, 5 Gm/Litre for professionals (held licence for 3+ years,
and 0, 30 Gm/Litre for new drivers (first year after test.) |
301 to 600 |
1 to 3 months |
|
Refusing a
breathalyser test, or being incapable due to drugs. ** |
301 to 600 |
1 to 3 months |
**
This would involve a
blood test to prove or assumed as being true if test refused by driver.
Note
your points-loss rating can be checked at (if you have a Spanish Driving
licence) at
http://www.dgt.es/portal/es/oficina_virtual/permiso_por_puntos/.
Faulty coil springs on modern cars.
There have been reports of suspension coil springs breaking on modern cars
due to incorrect manufacture. These are situated around the front shock
absorber struts and at the rear on many makes of car. The problems are
caused by, in my opinion:
-
Faulty heat-treatment at the factory during manufacture as springs
properly designed and manufactured and installed for the intended job
should gradually lose their springiness, not just break. As a retired
engineer, to me this usually indicates that they have they have not been
tempered correctly.
-
The preponderance of speed-bumps now in residential areas (due to bad
drivers speeding) just about everywhere, especially those where the ramps
are very sharp causing the car to sometimes violently judder, even at low
speeds, so the springs work harder than intended but as this fact is known
to car manufacturers this should be allowed for in the car design.
-
Another cause reported is where the ends of the springs have not been
correctly machined so they can seat in the spring-holder cup correctly,
and also water entering any cracks due to poor manufacture in the spring
ends causing corrosion and failure.
-
The results are not only an obvious collapse of the corner of the vehicle
where the spring has broken, but it is also known that a jagged spring
edge can and, from actual reports, has torn into the adjacent tyre
side-wall causing blowouts or the tyre to be scrapped.
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The reports so far identify only cars made in Continental Europe, not the
UK, but manufacturers usually buy from the least overall expensive
suppliers so be warned, especially if buying a recent used car.
-
Has anyone experienced this fault? I would be interested to know, please
as the car dealers would not let us know.
-
It is suggested that during a service, the springs are inspected for
this problem. As it is a design and quality problem and the
manufacturers know about it but will probably not admit to any fault until
really challenged by a reputable organisation, be aware and discuss it if
possible with your service manager - just in case it happens in the future
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