DGT Advises Motorists In Spain To Purchase New V16 Beacons From December
Spain News
Published: 29 October 2021 13:59 CET
Updated: 20 December 2022 13:59 CET
Since July 1, 2021, motorists have been able to use the new V16 emergency signals to warn other drivers that they have broken down.
The new style warning beacons are not currently a legal requirement, however, from January 1, 2026, they will be.
Until that time, the old-style warning triangles may still be used and may be used alongside the new V16 beacons.
The DGT, Spain’s traffic authority recently took to Twitter to advise drivers that they should delay purchasing a new V16 until December, which is when all new V16 warning beacons will have the geolocation functionality built-in as standard.
The current V16 models on the market only act as an indicator beacon. They do not have the ability to connect with the DGT 3.0 traffic system via geolocation.
From December, it is anticipated that the new V16 warning lights for sale will include this feature.
Why get a V-16 beacon and what are the benefits?
The V16 beacons will be a strict legal requirement from January 1, 2026, until then, the existing warning triangles remain valid but will gradually be phased out.
Anyone caught not using the correct V16 device from 2026 will most likely be fined by the traffic police.
There are a number of reasons for using the new beacons.
Firstly, they have a bright flashing yellow/orange light which means that once the device is placed on the roof of the vehicle, you can easily be seen from around one kilometre away. This is especially important at night and means that other drivers will instantly be aware that you have broken down and may need assistance.
Second, the V16 beacons which will come onto the market in December will include the ability to interact with the DGT’s digital cloud. The built-in geolocation system will automatically send a signal to the DGT 3.0 cloud every 100 seconds which will notify them of your vehicle's location.
Operators can then make adjustments to electronic motorway signs to indicate to other drivers that a vehicle has broken down and may be in a vulnerable position.
One of the most important safety aspects of the V16 beacons is that you do not need to leave the vehicle in order to operate them. Simply put your arm out the window and place the beacon with its magnetic base on the roof.
This then prevents the possibility of the driver and/or passengers being hit by another vehicle.
The V16 signal (its official name according to the General Vehicle Regulations) modifications are included in the Royal decree that controls emergency services on public roads.
General Deputy Director of Mobility Management, Jorge Ordas, explained that the emergency triangles are being removed due to the elevated number of fatal accidents that have transpired from drivers leaving their vehicles to place or collect the triangles after suffering from an incident on the roads.
You can read more about the V16 warning beacons in Spain here.
https://www.healthplanspain.com/blog/expat-tips/1112-v16-emergency-beacon-lights-spain.html
Source
https://twitter.com/DGTes/status/1410504710096830464
Image Credit: DGT Twitter
