Drivers in Spain can be fined €200 for checking WhatsApp at a red light

A lot of drivers in Spain still think the same thing when traffic stops at a red light : ‘If the car isn’t moving for a few seconds, checking my phone quickly can’t really matter.’

The Spanish traffic law can make this mistake very costly. This can be very expensive. DGT can fine drivers €200 and remove up to six points from their licence for using a mobile phone while behind the wheel, even if the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights or stuck in traffic.

Even though many people still find it shocking, the rule is applicable even when a car is not in motion.

It’s simple. The reason is simple.

The driver should be paying full attention to the road.

Spanish Traffic and Road Safety Law has been amended, increasing penalties related to the use of mobile phones while driving. Authorities consider that distraction is one of Spain’s biggest road hazards.

Why Spain’s traffic police take phone usage so seriously

The DGT is concerned about more than just someone glancing at the screen for a couple of seconds. What happens in those moments of lost attention is the concern.

Pere Navarro has warned that drivers who are concentrating on their phones rather than the road can drastically alter the reaction time.

He gave a direct example. The driver may not react to the brake until he has traveled around 140 meters. Total stopping distance for a vehicle could be around 155m by the time it stops.

This same vehicle, under normal conditions of attentive driving, could stop in about 30 metres.

Authorities claim that in practical terms, distracted drivers could travel as far as a football field without maintaining proper control over their vehicles.

The Spanish Traffic Authorities have been focusing their campaigns on mobile phone distraction for years.

Statistics help to explain this.

According to statistics from the Emotional Drive study, nearly 63 per cent (or 63%) of drivers in Spain admit using their phones at least occasionally while driving.

Some read, some watch videos, and others listen to news, or respond to text messages.

Although younger adults in urban areas are usually identified as the worst offenders, the authorities claim that the behavior now affects all age groups.

The difference between a €200 fine and losing six licence points

The law in Spain now differentiates between the different types and levels of use of a mobile phone while driving. This is something that many drivers do not understand.

This distinction has become much more strict after reforms were introduced in 2022. The harshest penalties are imposed on drivers who physically hold a phone while driving.

This includes checking WhatsApp while at traffic lights and during traffic jams.

In those cases, the sanction can reach €200 alongside the loss of six licence points.

Early payment can sometimes reduce the fine, but not the points.

Even if you use your phone differently, you can still be penalized.

Drivers manipulating phones mounted on holders, or using certain communication devices improperly, may also face €200 fines with the loss of three points depending on the circumstances.

Spanish traffic laws state very clearly, that drivers can’t use mobile phones, navigation devices or communication devices while driving manually unless communication is done completely hands free without headphones or other similar equipment.

Traffic experts are cautious about even hands-free conversations. Although hands-free systems are still legal, authorities claim that concentration levels drop during conversations.

According to some studies, drivers are likely to miss 40 percent of road signs if they talk for several minutes. This is true even if the driver uses hands-free technology.

Reaction times have also been slowed considerably.

Why distracted driving is still a major road safety problem in Spain

Traffic authorities are concerned about more than fines. Statistics on fatal accidents in Spain continue to reflect the impact of distracted driving.

Cristóbal Cremades, provincial traffic chief for Madrid, recently warned that distractions remain the most common contributing factor in road accidents nationwide.

Official figures show that more than 13,000 accidents involving distractions, which represents 18% of all recorded accidents, were linked with official statistics.

The proportion increases even more in fatal accidents. Around 30% of fatal crashes that were analysed by the authorities had distractions.

This is why campaigns against the use of mobile phones while driving continue to appear in Spain.

Since using a cell phone is so commonplace, officers of the traffic know that many drivers are still unaware of this risk.

Many drivers check notifications instinctively when they are at traffic lights or queues, or even if they are just stopped in traffic.

Many drivers have developed a habit that is almost automatic. The law in Spain is still very clear.

Your attention should be on the road if you’re in the driving seat and the car is still moving.

Even if it is a red light, if there is little traffic and if you feel the need to send a message via WhatsApp.