Lorraine Williamson
Technology has made driving easier, but it has also opened up new opportunities to defy legislation and avoid fines from Spain’s General Directorate of Transport (DGT).
One of the tools that some drivers have built into their vehicles to avoid speeding fines is radar detectors and jammers. There are differences between these systems. Radar detectors are devices that are installed in the car and can be used to locate the waves of police speed cameras. In addition, there are devices that can circumvent the operation of radars and prevent or impede the actual measurement of their speed, the jammers.
Fines and points
In the case of jammers, which nullify the operation of radars, drivers will be fined €6,000 and a maximum of 6 points from the driver’s license. And beware, because the garage that installs a jammer can also receive a hefty fine up to €30,000. The penalty for carrying a radar detector in the car is lower: a fine of €500 (previously it was €200) and the removal of 3 points from the driver’s license. There are also radar alerts. The latter are included in some apps, but you won’t be fined for them right now.
This is how the DGT works The General Traffic Directorate (DGT) has so far convicted only two drivers for warning via mobile phone. This was done on the basis of the Citizen Safety Act and not on the basis of the General Regulations for Directors. This law states that warning of the presence of checks by means of images, personal data or location is a serious crime, because it jeopardises the correct operational functioning.
The DGT warns that they will first go after those who create groups and organise themselves through social networks such as WhatsApp. After that, they go after cell phone applications, such as the ones mentioned above, that warn of the position of the speed cameras.
88 new radars in 2024
The Directorate General of Transport (DGT) will install 88 new radars in 2024. From next Monday to Sunday, a new speed control campaign will be launched, as announced by the agency led by Pere Navarro.
“Observing speed limits is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral responsibility. On one hand, it contributes to road safety, by significantly reducing the number of accidents, and, on the other hand, to improving the impact on the environment. In short, to the well-being of all road users. It’s important to remember that we’re not alone on the road,” said Francisco José Ruiz Boada, DGT’s Deputy Director General for Mobility Management and Technology.