This Thursday, October 1, the reform of the General Traffic Regulations takes effect, along with the set of amendments approved by Royal Decree 518/2026, which was enacted on June 24.
As the DGT noted in a press release, the changes introduced in the regulations aim to protect vulnerable road users. The reform will thus seek to adapt the regulations “to the transformation that mobility has undergone over the past twenty years, during which the focus has shiftedfrom roads and vehicles to people and their modes of travel.”
The term “vulnerable road user” has been formally included for the first time in this amendment to the regulations. The new category includes pedestrians ( with special attention given to minors, the elderly, and people with disabilities), cyclists, users of personal mobility devices (PMDs), and drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds.
The Most Important Changes
Helmets are now mandatory, and a minimum age requirement has been established for operating personal mobility vehicles (PMVs).
The amendments to the General Traffic Regulations establish that 15 years of age will be the minimum age for driving a personal mobility vehicle (such as electric scooters). In addition, lights must be on at all times (including during the day), and the use of a protective helmet will be mandatory in all cases, as will the use of a reflective vest at night or in conditions of poor visibility.
Personal mobility vehicles may only travel on lanes segregated from motorized traffic (such as bike paths or bike lanes) outside urban areas, unless signage indicates otherwise.
Rules for passing cyclists are changing, and exceptions to the helmet requirement on interurban roads are being eliminated
With regard to bicycle traffic, there are new provisions for both cyclists and drivers who share the road with them. On urban roads:
- Cyclists should ride primarily in the center of the lane.
- Motor vehicles must maintain a minimum safe distance of 5 meters from cyclists traveling ahead of them in the same lane.
- They will be allowed to travel in both directions on single-lane streets with a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h.
Furthermore, on interurban roads:
- To pass cyclists, drivers must reduce their speed by at least 20 km/h below the posted speed limit and maintain a minimum lateral distance of 1.5 meters.
- If the roadway has more than one lane in each direction, passing must be done by completely changing lanes.
- The use of helmets will be mandatory for all cyclists in all circumstances, eliminating the exceptions that have existed until now—such as the possibility of removing one’s helmet on long inclines, for medical reasons, or in cases of extreme heat.
In addition, riders who use bicycles, personal mobility devices, mopeds, or motorcycles professionally will be required to wear a helmet, as well as a reflective vest, at all times.
Motorcyclists will be required to wear protective gloves and will be allowed to ride on the shoulder in the event of traffic congestion
Starting today, October 1, drivers of motorcycles and mopeds will be required to wear protective gloves on interurban roads. In addition, closed-toe footwear will be mandatory on all types of roads, and moped drivers must wear approved (not merely certified) helmets.
In addition, from now on, motorcyclists will be allowed to ride on the right shoulder of the road in situations of traffic congestion, provided they do not exceed a speed of 30 km/h and only on sections specifically marked for that purpose.
Other changes included in the reform of the General Traffic Regulations include, for example, a ban on passing on highways and expressways when traffic is hampered by snow, and the elimination of exemptions from seat belt requirements for taxi drivers, commercial vehicles, and driving instructors. The exception will apply only to passengers in emergency ambulances when they are occupying the patient compartment during an emergency response.