The General Traffic Regulations have been modified by the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) and the Ministry of the Interior, with the primary goal of enhancing the safety of the most vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and personal mobility vehicle (PMV) users.
Among the most significant changes, a minimum age of 15 years is established to ride an electric scooter. Additionally, motorcycle and moped riders must always wear closed-toe footwear and, on interurban roads, protective gloves. All cyclists, without exception, will be required to wear a helmet on interurban roads.
For personal mobility vehicles, such as electric scooters, a helmet and reflective vest must be worn at night or in low visibility conditions. Professional delivery riders must always wear them. PMV lights must be kept on at all times. Outside urban areas, they may only use segregated lanes, such as bike lanes.
Regarding bicycles, in addition to the helmet requirement on interurban roads, motor vehicles must maintain a minimum distance of 5 meters behind cyclists on urban roads. On highways, overtaking a cyclist will require reducing speed by 20 km/h below the speed limit. On one-way streets limited to 30 km/h, bicycles will be permitted to travel in both directions.
Motorcycle and moped riders and passengers must wear closed-toe footwear and, on interurban roads, protective gloves. In Catalonia, however, motorcycles will not be allowed to use the shoulder in traffic jams, a measure that the Servei Català de Trànsit has ruled out for safety reasons.
Other changes include the mandatory use of seat belts for all occupants, including taxi drivers and driving school instructors. A free central lane for emergency vehicles and police in traffic jams is also established, and overtaking is prohibited during heavy snowfall on highways, requiring the left lane to be kept clear.
School paths, designed for children to travel to school on foot or in groups, will receive legal recognition within the urban fabric. Non-compliance with many of these regulations may result in fines of up to 200 euros.
