This new system will be compulsory for all motorists traveling in this country bordering France from January 1, 2026.
Several million motorists will have to purchase new compulsory equipment. This is not good news for their wallets, but it is still a device that was designed to improve the safety of all road users. In Spain, where officials are never short of ideas to improve traffic conditions, the warning triangle, obligatory as in France, will soon be replaced by a new device. Like the red triangle, it will allow drivers of broken down vehicles to report their immobilization on the side of the road.
The warning triangle will no longer be legal on Spanish roads from 1is January 2026, we learn from the La Semaine du Roussillon website. In just under a year, all drivers in the country will have to have a device called V-16 to drive without risking a fine. What is it about? A bright, connected beacon that simply needs to be placed on the roof of your vehicle. No more need to get out, which is a great step forward for safety when you know the danger of walking, even a few meters, on the roadway of an expressway. The yellow light emitted by the device can be seen up to a kilometer away, including at night or in fog.
Another advantage of this new technology: the beacon integrates a geolocation system which sends the exact position of the vehicle to the platform of the Spanish General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). Practical for being able to alert emergency services (firefighters, ambulances, tow trucks, etc.) more quickly. The V-16 device has an estimated cost of around 40 euros, an amount that each driver will therefore have to spend to comply with the law.
The fine in the event of absence of the system is already provided for, and it is enough to discourage those who resist. A motorist without the light beacon during a police check will have to pay 200 euros.
For the many French motorists who are used to traveling to Spain, know that you are affected by this new regulation! You will therefore have to acquire this new device by next year, in a specialized store or online. But unlike Spanish motorists, you will not have to get rid of your warning triangle because it will always be mandatory in France, otherwise you will receive another fine, this time of 135 euros. This new regulation is indeed a Spanish initiative and is not generalized within the European Union. At least for now…
