The transitory instruction of the General Directorate of Traffic establishes basic criteria that affect the use of this type of vehicles, such as the electric scooter throughout Spain
These slogans have the objective of clarifying to users, local councils and local police the regulations related to the so-called personal mobility vehicles
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has offered a new instruction to the municipalities throughout Spain on the use of electric scooters that clarifies the regulations for personal mobility vehicles (VMP), meanwhile the local entities are working on the development of a municipal ordinance that definitively regulates this new context.
The DGT has just published this transitory instruction that establishes basic criteria to which these vehicles that are so proliferating on public roads are subject, including their definition and certain obligations and prohibitions.
The objective is to clarify some doubts to the users, to the town halls and to the agents of the authority before a firm modification of the General Regulation of Circulation, currently in the processing phase.
The Councilor for Police and Public Safety, Agustín Gonzalo Martínez, and the chief commissioner of the Local Police, Alfonso Canales, have realized the new procedure published and submitted to the consistories a few days ago, waiting for him to publish the formal regulation that It is currently in the processing phase and will standardize the standard throughout Spain.
The municipal officials have wanted to offer the recommendations contained in this instruction before the proliferation of these vehicles, especially in the big cities and also, little by little, in Totana;
where as they announced, they are going to work on the elaboration of said municipal ordinance.
As explained by this instruction of the DGT, the user of an electric scooter or any personal mobility vehicle (of one or more wheels equipped with a single seat and powered by an electric motor) whose speed is greater than 6 kilometers per hour but not exceeding 25, could be sanctioned with fines between 500 and 1,000 euros for driving under the influence of alcohol or 200 euros for using the mobile phone.
VPM drivers are also required to undergo alcohol and drug tests and, if they refuse, they will be reported as an administrative infraction.
If, in addition, the driver tested positive for drugs could immobilize the vehicle.
Likewise, it is forbidden to use the mobile phone or any other communication system and drive using cases or headphones.
In case of being detected, they will be sanctioned with 200 euros.
As for the use of the helmet, in the absence of a regulation in the General Circulation Regulation, the use of these elements would be governed by the municipal ordinance of each city.
If this provides for mandatory use, the user could be sanctioned with 200 euros.
Also, VPMs are prohibited from traveling on sidewalks and pedestrian areas and may only be used by one person.
In case of more occupants, the penalty would be 100 euros;
and it will be considered negligent and therefore punishable driving when it is carried out at night without lighting or garments or reflective elements, with a corresponding sanction of 200 euros.
The municipal ordinances are those that establish the prohibitions regarding the stops and parking of these vehicles, as explained during the press conference.
This instruction serves to give criteria, but each city council will apply it in one way or another depending on their municipal ordinances in each case.
From the DGT, it is advocated that the sidewalk be pedestrian, but its regulation is exclusively municipal.
In the case of infractions committed by persons under 18 years of age, the parents, guardians, welcoming persons and legal or de facto custodians will be jointly and severally liable for the infraction committed by the minor.
The formal regulation of the VPM is currently in the processing phase, so the instruction on the definition provided for these vehicles in the modification of the General Regulations of Vehicles that is currently in the processing phase, as established by these more clarifying criteria the DGT
The objective of this transitional measure is to contribute to transparency pending the approval of formal regulation.
In addition, they recalled that these types of vehicles cannot circulate, in any case, on interurban roads.
This situation responds, in large part, to the request made by city councils and police officers to situations that are occurring in many cities and that have a negative impact on road safety, especially when it affects citizen groups and more vulnerable neighborhoods.
The DGT in an instruction in 2016 - with the current one is repealed - already considered that the VPM had a consideration of vehicles and consequently the user is a driver, therefore interprets that if there are improper behaviors they are subject to denunciation.
For more information:
http://revista.dgt.es/es/noticias/nacional/2019/12DICIEMBRE/1204instruccion-dgt-vehiculos-de-movilidad-personal.shtml#.XfKA_YNKjcc
