Arm Out The Window While Driving In Spain? You Could Face Up To €200 Fine

When nan mercury climbs, truthful do bad habits down nan wheel: windows down, elbow out, flip-flops on. Spain’s DGT doesn’t good nan posture aliases nan outfit successful themselves, but it will good you if either reduces your power of nan vehicle. That’s why nan classical “codo en la ventanilla” tin extremity successful a summons of €80 to €200.

Is driving pinch your elbow extracurricular illegal?

Short answer: not automatically. Cracking nan model for airflow is fine. The problem starts erstwhile resting your limb extracurricular nan compartment intends you’re nary longer afloat successful complaint of nan car. Spanish officers use nan Reglamento General de Circulación (RGC) — and 3 articles matter here:

• Article 18.1 – nan driver must support state of movement, a clear section of imagination and changeless attention, and support an due driving position.
• Article 17.1 – drivers must beryllium capable to power their vehicles astatine each times.
• Article 3.1 – driving must beryllium done pinch nan basal diligence and be aware to debar harm.

If an serviceman believes your elbow-out stance compromises grip, balance, imagination aliases attention, they tin mention 1 aliases much of those provisions. It’s not nan pose—it’s its effect connected control.

When it becomes a good and really much

Penalties are lawsuit by case. If nan posture is judged to limit movement, trim steering precision aliases distract you, expect a insignificant aliases superior infringement and a good of roughly:

• €80 for lesser breaches (light infringement).
• Up to €200 wherever nan consequence is deemed higher (serious infringement).

Remember: if a manoeuvre aliases incident exposes greater threat — say, you swerve while your limb is extracurricular — nan punishment tin escalate. As ever successful Spain, officers’ on-the-spot appraisal carries weight.

Summer outfits astatine nan wheel: what DGT really checks

There’s nary dress codification successful nan rulebook. Flip-flops, swimwear aliases driving shirtless aren’t fined per se. But if footwear slips disconnected a pedal, aliases bare shoulders mean you can’t brace decently during an evasive move, you’re backmost to those aforesaid RGC articles connected position, power and diligence. The consequence tin beryllium nan aforesaid €80–€200 ticket.

Spain driving tips: DGT proposal to debar nan €200 ‘arm-out-the-window’ fine

• Keep some hands free and adopt a position that lets you steer and respond instantly.
• Choose unafraid footwear that won’t snag aliases slip.
• If you’re hot, usage ventilation aliases air-con — not nan model arsenic an armrest.
• Think for illustration an examiner: could you execute an emergency extremity aliases abrupt swerve perfectly from your existent posture? If not, adjust.

Rolling nan model down is fine; hanging your limb retired isn’t if it costs you control. This summer, bask nan breeze — pinch some hands fresh connected nan instrumentality — and support those €80–€200 successful your pocket.

Stay tuned pinch Euro Weekly News for much news from Spain