Discount for early payment

The discount given for prompt payment of traffic fines in Spain is to be increased to 50 per cent from the current 30 per cent, according to an amendment presented last week in Congress as part of its review of new traffic-code legislation.

The draft version proposed that the prompt-payment discount - given to those who pay within 15 days of being notified of a fine - be increased to 40 per cent, but all the parliamentary groups in Congress signed onto the amendment boosting the markdown to 50 per cent.

The legislation, which also includes a restructuring of traffic fines and requires the Traffic Department to emit just one notification to offenders rather than the current three, is expected to go to full vote this month and to take effect before summer.

Additional changes

Other amendments presented in Congress last week included requiring proof-of-insurance stickers on all vehicles, and requiring that all revenues raised through traffic fines be used for road-safety improvements. Further amendments called for minor speeding infractions to not result in a loss of driving-licence points, and for drivers to be allowed to recover six points through safe-driving classes, rather than the current four points.

Since the 12-point driving licence was launched in July 2006, the Traffic Department has penalised drivers for a total of 6.2 million points (based on figures up to January 2009), and 14,000 drivers have had their licence suspended.