Spain updates traffic regulations with new rules for scooters, cyclists and motorcycles

Priority on vulnerable road users

Spain's Directorate-General of Traffic brought a comprehensive reform of the General Traffic Regulations into force on 1 October 2026, marking the first broad update to the regulatory framework in 20 years. The revision shifts regulatory focus toward urban spaces and vulnerable users, a group formally defined in the rules to include pedestrians, cyclists, scooter operators, and motorcyclists based on their physical vulnerability, mode of transport, and age. DGT Director Pere Navarro presented the overhaul, describing the focus on vulnerable citizens as central to public safety policy.

Pere Navarro described the motivation behind the new measures during their presentation:

It is much more important than it seems. The protection of the weakest is the essence of our civilization.

The regulatory changes respond to shifting casualty patterns in Spain. Vulnerable road users accounted for 50.8% of all road fatalities in 2024, rising from 44.5% a decade earlier in 2014. More than four out of ten vulnerable user fatalities happen in cities, and over half of those urban deaths involve pedestrians. Demographic projections from the National Statistics Institute also indicate that Spain's population aged 65 and older stands at 21.1% in 2026 (approximately 10 million people) and is projected to reach 30% by 2050.

Rules for scooters and personal mobility vehicles

Under the revised framework, personal mobility vehicles, including electric scooters, face clear operational requirements. The minimum operating age is set at 15 years old, and riders are barred from using pedestrian sidewalks. All scooter riders must wear a certified protective helmet and keep vehicle lights illuminated at all times.

Riders must wear a reflective vest at night or during conditions of low visibility, while commercial delivery riders operating personal mobility vehicles must wear reflective vests at all times. Failure to wear required helmets or reflective gear is classified as a serious infraction carrying a 200 euro fine. Outside urban boundaries, municipal authorities may permit personal mobility vehicles to travel on segregated bike paths.

New protections for cyclists

The new rules eliminate previous helmet exemptions, making helmets mandatory for all cyclists on interurban roads. Professional cyclists and couriers must wear both a protective helmet and a reflective vest during work, with non-compliance subject to a 200 euro penalty.

Motorists face stricter requirements when interacting with cyclists. When overtaking a bicycle on interurban roads, drivers must reduce their speed by at least 20 kilometres per hour below the posted speed limit. On roads featuring multiple lanes in the same direction, drivers must change lanes completely while maintaining at least 1.5 metres of lateral clearance. Inside urban areas, motorists must keep a minimum five-metre following distance behind bicycles in the same lane. Cyclists in cities are encouraged to ride in the centre of their lane, and local councils may authorise two-way bicycle traffic on single-lane roads with speed limits of 30 kilometres per hour or lower.

Requirements for motorcyclists and road shoulder access

The reform establishes equipment standards for motorcycle and moped users. Riders and passengers on interurban roads must wear protective gloves and closed footwear, with non-compliance penalised by a 200 euro fine. Professional delivery riders using motorcycles must wear reflective vests continuously.

The regulation introduces new permissions for congestion management. Motorcyclists navigating traffic jams may now drive on the right hard shoulder at speeds up to 30 kilometres per hour, provided road conditions permit safe movement. The update also integrates formal legal recognition for safe school routes and modifies problematic traffic light sequences to protect pedestrians.