ARCHIVED - Traffic authorities call for ban on police check warning apps in Spain

Using apps to warn drivers of spot checks on the roads is still not an offence in this country

The traffic authorities in Spain are pressurizing the new government of Spain to hasten up the procedures needed in order to make it an offence to warn of the locations of police and Guardia Civil checks on the roads via the internet and digital means, a practice which has become more and more common in recent years but remains unpunishable according to the law as it stands.

At present drivers who warn oncoming traffic of police checks by flashing their headlights can be charged with using the lights of their vehicles inappropriately, and for years the traffic police have been attempting to clamp down on such behaviour. This is not only because it allows drivers to slow down to within the speed limit, it also permits anyone who is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol to change their route and avoid detection, and thus clearly increases the risks of accidents.

The loophole in the law for internet warnings, though, has led to the development of specific mobile phone apps such as Waze and Social Drive, and many drivers are using them to keep abreast of which roads to avoid at which times. This was the case of “kamikaze” driver who hurriedly diverted onto the A-5 motorway in Madrid in December but in his haste somehow ended up driving in the wrong direction, a mistake which resulted in the death of another man who swerved in order to avoid him.

In addition, though, warning others of the presence of the police can also prevent uninsured vehicles from being detected and enable other criminals to plan routes on which they are unlikely to be apprehended.

For all of these reasons the use of such apps is illegal in France but in Spain the DGT traffic authorities’ request for the government to take action has been delayed by the prolonged delay in forming a new national government, and now that that has finally been achieved there are hopes that progress will be quick. Until then, using apps to warn other drivers remains legal but, according to the DGT, not recommended.

It is important not to confuse the police and Guardia checks involved with the permanent speed cameras and radars which are in place on the roads of Spain: the locations of these devices are public knowledge and are featured on the website of the DGT in an effort to discourage speeding, but the fact that both types of control over motorists can result in fines in no way means that they should be placed in the same category.

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