Fines in Spain for trucks.

What fines await a truck driver in Spain? I exceeded the speed limit – what fine do I face? Overloading! Seatbelt! Phone!

According to most logistics managers in freight transport, the driver does everything possible to be late for unloading:

• Takes too long to load;
• Drives too slowly;
• Deliberately stops early at a parking lot instead of using work or driving time until the last minute;
• Stops by a shop along the way and spends 15 minutes buying food;
• Gets stuck in traffic.

The driver needs to be pushed! Called! Rushed! – That’s what logistics managers think.

And what does the driver think?

If we exclude all the unprintable words directed at the logistics manager, who is already annoying with calls and stupid questions, the driver thinks that the logistics manager can’t calculate properly or is simply incompetent for not being able to estimate the time needed for loading, unloading, and the trip to the destination.

It’s an eternal battle, which sometimes ends in defeat for everyone, including the company. In the process, the driver sometimes gives in to the temptation to drive faster because he doesn’t want to listen to the logistics manager’s shouting. Losing focus, missing a speed limit, he ends up with the most common fine in Spain.

Fines in Spain for speeding.

Speeding fines rank first in number, surpassing penalties for non-compliance with drivers’ work and rest regulations.

Trucks in Spain can travel at the following speeds:

• 90 km/h on motorways,
• 80 km/h on intercity roads,
• 60 km/h on roads within city limits or other populated areas.

Speeding fines table:

Fines in Spain for overloading.

If you are stopped by the police and overloading is detected, all participants in the transport operation will be held responsible.

In Spain, the primary responsibility for overloading a vehicle lies with the company or the shipper, not the driver. According to the law, the driver cannot be fined for overloading if they can prove they had no way to check the cargo weight or influence the situation.

Since September 2022, a ban on drivers performing loading and unloading work has been introduced in Spain, and the responsibility for violating this lies with the company, not the driver.

However, if the driver is a self-employed individual or the owner of the vehicle, responsibility for overloading may be placed on them.

Depending on the weight exceeded, the fines for this type of violation for trucks weighing more than 12,000 kg are as follows:

• From €301 to €400 for minor violations:
  • Exceeding 2.5% to 5% of the total permissible weight.
  • Exceeding up to 10% of the maximum permissible axle load.
• From €801 to €1,000 for medium violations:
  • Exceeding 5% to 10% of the total permissible weight.
  • Exceeding 10% to 20% of the maximum permissible axle load.
• From €1,000 to €2,000 for serious violations:
  • Exceeding 10% to 20% of the total permissible weight.
  • Exceeding 20% to 40% of the maximum permissible axle load.
• From €2,001 to €4,000 or more for particularly serious violations:
  • Exceeding more than 20% of the total permissible weight.
  • Exceeding more than 40% of the maximum permissible axle load.

Keep your distance!

Fines in Spain for failing to maintain a proper distance can be up to €200. There are no exact figures indicating what the distance should be – it must be calculated!

For more details about maintaining distance from the vehicle ahead, read the article: “Distance in Spain.”

Don’t block overtaking!

If you feel upset that a colleague is driving faster and decided to overtake you, remember, do not accelerate or increase your speed. Attempting to block overtaking can result in a fine of up to €200!

Aggressor on the road!

If you have mental issues, are in a bad mood, or angry at the world, do not get behind the wheel—get your emotions in order. You are dangerous!

There are many vehicles on the road, driven by very different people, each with their own quirks and problems. Sometimes they make mistakes, try to provoke you, humiliate you, or get in your way…

You are a professional behind the wheel of a truck weighing 44,000 kg. Stay calm and don’t give in to provocations! Remember! Your goal is not to punish the aggressor or defeat them but to avoid an accident, deliver your cargo on time, and return home safely. For road aggressors in Spain, fines and even imprisonment are provided.

Fines for:

• Aggressive and reckless driving endangering the safety of other drivers;
• Chasing;
• Tailgating and maintaining a minimal distance;
• Persistent stopping and braking to restrict the speed of the vehicle behind –

are clear examples punishable by fines of up to €500. Reckless driving is a criminal offense under the Penal Code.

Overtaking a cyclist

When overtaking cyclists and mopeds, you must now change lanes if there is more than one lane in the same direction.

Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to €200.

Fines in Spain for anti-radar devices

In Spain, it is prohibited not only to use devices that jam radar signals or warn of their presence but also to have them in the vehicle.

Radar jammers disrupt the proper functioning of traffic monitoring systems, so their use is considered a very serious offense.

Using an anti-radar device carries a fine of €500 + 3 penalty points.

Installing a radar jammer carries a fine of up to €6,000. Responsibility can be imposed not only on the driver but also on the vehicle owner.

Additionally, suspension of the vehicle’s registration may be imposed.

Drank water – pay 100 euros!

Summer, Spain, you’ve been driving for 2 hours, you’re thirsty but holding out because you’ve heard that you can get fined 100 euros for drinking water, and you don’t want to stop for a sip. Is it true?

Yes, it’s possible! But it’s not as bad as it seems.

You can get fined not for drinking water but for the following reasons:

• The bottle is large and obstructs your view,
• You can’t hold the bottle with one hand,
• The bottle has a cap, and you let go of the steering wheel to open it.

Conclusion:
You should have a small bottle with the right “sports” cap, kept close by so you don’t have to reach for it, don’t get distracted from the road, and don’t let go of the wheel. This way, you won’t get fined for drinking water.

Drink water and other non-alcoholic beverages SAFELY!

Fine for not wearing a seatbelt in Spain

Unfortunately, drivers are often not concerned about their own safety, and even less so about the safety of other road users. Therefore, in order to make a driver perform what seems to be such a small action, aimed at saving their life: “Buckle up,” fines are imposed.

How does the seatbelt work?

In the event of a collision, the seatbelt acts like a parachute, keeping the driver in place while stretching slightly to avoid serious injury.

When colliding with a solid object at a speed of 80 km/h, the driver and passengers would be thrown forward with a force 80 times greater than their body weight.

Also, it’s important to know that the seatbelt is only part of the vehicle’s safety system. If you’re not wearing it, airbags and headrests may not deploy! And if they do, they might cause injuries.

Imagine you’re driving at 80 km/h, unbuckled, and crash into a stationary vehicle. You’re thrown forward with a force 80 times your weight, and then an airbag deploys from the steering wheel and… breaks your rib cage.

In the case of a head-on collision

It reduces the risk of death and serious head injuries by 90%. It reduces the risk of cuts, fractures, and other injuries by 75%.

In the case of a side impact

It reduces the risk of death or serious injury by half.

Not wearing a seatbelt in Spain is considered a serious violation, and currently, the fine is 200 euros + 3 penalty points.

Recently, cameras have been installed that can detect whether travelers and carriers are wearing seatbelts to punish all those who commit this violation.

It’s important to note that the vehicle owner must identify the driver responsible for the violation; otherwise, the fine will increase threefold — up to 600 euros.

Fines in Spain for holding a phone

The time has come when you don’t need to write SMS or make a call to get a fine. It’s enough to hold the phone in your hand. If a camera detects the phone in the driver’s hand while driving — the fine is 200 euros + from 3 to 6 penalty points.

What to do? — sending messages and taking calls can now be done via voice.

You need to place the phone on a special holder or mount on the dashboard. It’s considered that placing the phone on the dashboard obstructs visibility the least and doesn’t distract the driver from the road.

If the phone is incorrectly positioned and obstructs the driver’s view, you can get a fine of 100 euros, even with a special phone holder.