{"id":158464,"date":"2026-09-30T12:09:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T10:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mallorcaglobalmag.es\/nuevas-normas-trafico-2026-1-octubre\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T13:05:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:05:57","slug":"nuevas-normas-trafico-2026-1-octubre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mallorcaglobalmag.es\/en\/nuevas-normas-trafico-2026-1-octubre\/","title":{"rendered":"New traffic rules for 2026 in Spain: helmets compulsory for e-scooter and bicycle riders and gloves for motorcyclists"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <strong>new traffic rules for 2026<\/strong> come into force this Thursday, <strong>1 October<\/strong>, with changes particularly affecting users of <strong>electric scooters, bicycles, motorcycles and mopeds<\/strong>. The reform of the General Traffic Regulations introduces new requirements regarding the <strong>use of helmets, gloves and reflective vests<\/strong>, as well as changes to the rules for <strong>overtaking cyclists<\/strong> and <strong>driving in congested traffic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The Government approved the reform last June, but most of the measures are only now coming into force. The changes also include a <strong>minimum age of 15 for riding electric scooters<\/strong>, the introduction of an <strong>emergency corridor in traffic jams<\/strong> and the removal of some exemptions from <strong>seat belt<\/strong> requirements.<\/p>\n<h2>What changes for electric scooters from 1 October<\/h2>\n<p>Users of <strong>personal mobility vehicles (PMVs)<\/strong>, including electric scooters, must comply with the following new rules:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Minimum age of 15<\/strong> to ride a PMV.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Protective helmet compulsory<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reflective vest<\/strong> at night or in conditions of poor visibility.<\/li>\n<li>Professionals who use a PMV, such as delivery riders, must wear a reflective vest at all times.<\/li>\n<li>Failure to comply with helmet and reflective vest requirements is a <strong>serious offence punishable by a \u20ac200 fine<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-158456 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/mallorcaglobalmag.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Patinete-electrico.webp\" alt=\"new traffic rules 2026\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In addition, outside urban areas, PMVs may be authorised to use routes segregated from motor vehicles, such as cycle paths or cycle lanes.<\/p>\n<p>There is one important exception: the requirement to <strong>keep PMV lights switched on at all times will not come into force until 1 October 2027<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>New traffic rules for cyclists in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>The reform also introduces changes for people travelling by bicycle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Previous exemptions are removed and <strong>helmets will be compulsory for all cyclists on roads outside urban areas<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Delivery riders working by bicycle must always wear a helmet and reflective vest.<\/li>\n<li>When <strong>overtaking a cyclist on a road outside an urban area<\/strong>, vehicles must reduce their speed to at least 20 km\/h below the speed limit.<\/li>\n<li>On roads with more than one lane in each direction, drivers must <strong>move completely into another lane<\/strong>, as well as maintaining a minimum lateral distance of 1.5 metres.<\/li>\n<li>In urban areas, cyclists should preferably ride in the centre of the lane.<\/li>\n<li>Motor vehicles must maintain a <strong>minimum distance of 5 metres<\/strong> from a bicycle travelling ahead in the same lane.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Changes to traffic rules for motorcycles and mopeds<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>new 2026 traffic rules for motorcycles<\/strong> also change the equipment that riders and passengers must use:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Protective gloves will be compulsory on roads outside urban areas<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Closed footwear will be compulsory on all roads<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Both requirements are considered serious offences and may result in a <strong>\u20ac200 fine<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Delivery riders working on motorcycles must wear a reflective vest.<\/li>\n<li>Motorcycles will be allowed to use the right-hand hard shoulder when traffic is congested, but only on sections where this is specifically permitted and without exceeding <strong>30 km\/h<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In the case of gloves, the requirement for them to be specifically <strong>approved protective gloves<\/strong> remains subject to a ministerial order that will determine their technical specifications. Until then, the protective gloves currently in use may be worn.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the requirement concerning an <strong>approved helmet<\/strong> for users affected by this amendment will not come into force until <strong>1 October 2027<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>How the new emergency corridor works in traffic jams<\/h2>\n<p>Another new feature of the General Traffic Regulations is the so-called <strong>emergency corridor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>When traffic is moving at walking pace or has come to a standstill, drivers must move aside to <strong>leave a clear central space for police vehicles and other emergency services to pass through<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The rules also change when snow disrupts traffic on motorways and dual carriageways: overtaking will be prohibited and vehicles must use only the right-hand lane, leaving the left-hand lane clear for emergency services and snowploughs.<\/p>\n<h2>Seat belts compulsory for taxi drivers and other motorists<\/h2>\n<p>The reform removes some of the exemptions that previously applied to seat belt use. From 1 October, seat belts must also be worn by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Taxi drivers.<\/li>\n<li>Drivers of goods vehicles.<\/li>\n<li>Driving instructors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An exemption remains for certain passengers in ambulances when they are in the patient compartment during an emergency.<\/p>\n<h2>Other changes coming into force on 1 October<\/h2>\n<p>The new regulations also include the following changes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Vehicles passing another vehicle stopped because of an accident, breakdown, roadside assistance or maintenance must leave a <strong>1.5-metre gap<\/strong> and reduce their speed to at least 20 km\/h below the speed limit.<\/li>\n<li>As a general rule, at signal-controlled pedestrian crossings, flashing amber lights for vehicles may no longer coincide with a green light for pedestrians.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Safe school routes<\/strong> are formally recognised in law.<\/li>\n<li>Parked motorhomes may not deploy elements that extend beyond their perimeter, must rest solely on their tyres and may not discharge fluids from the living area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The new traffic rules for 2026 come into force this <a href=\"https:\/\/mallorcaglobalmag.es\/en\/nuevas-normas-trafico-2026-1-octubre\/\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":158457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-158464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - 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