Goodbye to the Triangle

Update June 30.

As of July 1, 2023, it is no longer mandatory to signal an emergency on a motorway or dual carriageway with the well-known triangles. But you should not get rid of them – their use will continue to be mandatory on secondary roads.

The reason for introducing this exception is the increase in accidents on highways, which caused 11% of deaths in traffic accidents on interurban roads in 2022, as explained by Pere Navarro, director of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), during his speech at the conference “Balance of the last four years in terms of road safety in Spain”.

In this sense, Navarro pointed out that last year there were 348 pedestrian deaths in Spain, which represented a 9% decrease in deaths from this cause compared to 2019. However, “we are concerned about road accidents”, Navarro stated, since 134 pedestrians lost their lives on the roads and 42 people have died in the last three years due to getting out of their vehicle.

Full information 

DGT Magazine March 17, 2021. Computer translation.

“Next summer, we will begin to say goodbye to the traditional emergency triangles that have been with us since July 1999. The renewed V-16 arrives. It is an orange flashing light device. It replaces the triangles that we used since 1999.

How is it used?

To signal that we have stopped on the road, we will place the light device in the highest possible part of the vehicle. We thus guarantee maximum visibility. To place it, we do not need to get out of the vehicle or walk along the road avoiding traffic as was the case up to now with triangles.

How do you find me?

The device incorporates a geolocation system that once activated, sends the location of the stopped vehicle to the DGT 3.0 cloud every 100 seconds, so that this information reaches other drivers (see infographics in Spanish).

From when?

As of July 1, 2021. Although, until January 1, 2026, we will be able to use the triangles and the new signal (with or without geopositioning). From that date, the only thing allowed to signal incidents will be the luminous signal with geolocation.

Why is it changed?

The modification of the V-16 signal (official name, according to the General Vehicle Regulations) is included in the Royal Decree that regulates emergency services on public roads. Jorge Ordás, general deputy director of Mobility Management and Technology of the DGT, explains that the emergency triangles are removed due to the high number of fatal accidents that occurred when drivers left their vehicles to place or collect them after having suffered a mishap on the road (see box).

What if I have to get out of the vehicle?

According to the new regulations, “as a general rule”, we will leave the vehicle if there is a safe place off the road and always on the opposite side to the flow of traffic. If we cannot safely exit, we will wait for assistance inside the vehicle with our seat belt on”.

According to the data of the DGT (not counting Catalonia and Basque Country), between 2019 and 2020, 28 pedestrians died run over on the road after getting off their vehicle. To this figure, we must add the 4 people deceased under the same circumstances that have already been accounted for until
January 31, 2021.

How does the V-16 work

CAB note. Some are suggesting waiting to purchase for those V16 which are certified… These models are the geolocation models which must be used by January 1 2006. Those wishing to use these non geolocation lights from July 1 2022 are entitled to do so.

V16

From the DGT

Translation:

22 December 2021 – 15:12:00 CET
Image section
In relation to various news published in the media regarding the new V16 pre-signaling device that will be connected to the DGT 3.0 connected vehicle platform, the General Directorate of Traffic makes the following considerations:

01

There are still no V16 devices on the market connected to the DGT 3.0 platform, because the certification process for it has not yet been published. Citizens who purchase a device with NOT certified and NOT connected light should know that they will have to make a new purchase of said device connected with DGT 3.0 before January 1, 2026, when said connectivity will be mandatory.
02

The DGT will publish in January 2022 the process by which those V16 lights that meet the brightness and connectivity characteristics will be certified.
03

As of February, manufacturers will be able to go to the technical services responsible for certification to submit their prototypes to the defined tests and verify that they meet the necessary requirements.
04

In any case, work is being done on the drafting of a modification of Royal Decree 159/2021 – with the aim that the products that go on the market are of the highest possible quality – whose entry into force is scheduled for the second half of next year, from which time it will be possible to start marketing the connected V16s.
05

The General Directorate of Traffic will publish on its website the V16 devices that meet the prescribed requirements so that citizens know what they are buying.
06

As of January 1, 2026, it will be mandatory to have the V16 signal connected in the vehicle. Until that date, the triangles will coexist with the unconnected V16 signals and with the connected V16 signals when they are on the market.

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.