DGT Spending Big Bucks to Make Even Bigger Bucks

As published in the BOE State Bulletin, DGT has allotted a budget for the purchase of more equipment to help in their inforcement of the law, or as they like to put it ´to improve road safety´.

An amount of 363.000 euros will be spent on 3 mobile ´ITV units´ which will be used to check on irregularities (estimated at 20% of all vehicles with obligation to pass ITV regularly) with regards to ITV certificates and vehicles during routine checks. The units will be manned by 2 mechanics and will be able to check on brakes, headlights, tyres, suspension, weight etc. and will also be equipped with automatic number plate recognition, which checks the database for expiration date of the ITV certificate and communicates with the central computer, so sanctions can be issued automatically.

A second budget of 900.000 euros has been made available for the purchase of a further 18 radar camaras, to be used to check on speeding.
This in addition to the acquisition, earlier this year, of 50 camouflaged cars with new ´invisible´ radar equipment installed. Instead of the ´cone´ sticking out of the grill, the ´MultaRadar CD´ is now in rectangular shape, similar to a licence plate, and placed just above it. Installed in Citroën Saxo´s, colours grey and green.

Some of the money that will come in from fines from all these ´road safety´ measures, will surely be used to cover the maintenance costs of the Pegasus radar equipment, installed under helicopters as this amounts to no less than 400.000 euros/year.

And if you think these figures are quite impressive… all is relative and especially when you compare these ´investments´ with the annual ´income´ from fines. A staggering 129,604,621.70 euros in 2014, according to El Economista, which represented an increase of 4.31% over 2013 when the amount totalled 124,244,714.40 euros, and 7.27% more than the 120,817,424.31 paid in fines in 2012.

So, all in all, an economically sound ´business decision´ that will no doubt will have a positive effect on road safety too.

Please note: The information provided is based upon our understanding of current legislation. It is not legal advice but is provided freely to enable you to be properly informed. We recommend that if you are considering taking action, you should seek professional advice.