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From the online DGT Magazine, published 10.9.2020.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) plans to approve the modification of the General Drivers Regulation that will mean the transposition of Directive 2006/16 of the European Union into Spanish legislation, with several interesting novelties, especially for professional drivers.
As a first novelty, the Drivers Regulation will authorize vehicles weighing between 3,500 kilos – the current limit – and 4,250 kilos to drive with the B permit, and the increase in weight is due to its conversion to alternative energies, due to the higher weight of the batteries. Thus, it would allow that the vehicles that are transformed to adapt to cleaner and more sustainable mobility can continue to be driven, through the national territory, with the B permit that is more than two years old, always without a trailer.
Likewise, the minimum age required to access permits from C, the so-called professional permits, is lowered. This responds to a need for harmonization with Europe and to respond to the needs of the population and companies.
On the one hand, the employer and professional associations had requested this reduction in age, in order to cover their driving needs; at the same time, this was a possible job opportunity for some young people, so the age of access to these permits has been lowered (see table), taking into account, in addition, the possession or not of the CAP, in its different modalities, to more or less lower the age of access to professional permits.
Finally, also relating to professional drivers, Annex IV has been modified to admit, although studied individually and on a case-by-case basis, the possibility of driving with adaptations in the case of the locomotor system – previously strictly prohibited -. The introduction of new technologies – for example, the automatic transmission in almost all heavy vehicles – and the improvement of prostheses and adaptations have made it possible to allow, after an individualized study, driving with this type of adaptations.
Other changes
In addition, the reform has introduced other modifications. For example:
• The exam time in the theory test has been extended, since when introducing videos in the questions it was necessary to extend the time depending on the length of the video.
• The percentage of error allowed in the applicants’ responses has also been clarified, stating that it will not be greater than 10% of errors.
• In the practical tests of the motorcycle exam, it has been specified the garments that are considered “the appropriate equipment” with which the applicant must appear, to avoid doubts about which are the mandatory garments in the exam.
We will of course check this preview with the publication of the new Reglament in the State Bulletin, when it has been made into law.
