At the DGT, they never stop working permanently in a job as pleasant as it may be. improve road safetyso that the regulations are reviewed again and again. It is essential to understand that the needs on the road will constantly evolve and that, therefore, traffic requirements must be renewed. As in the case of new emergency lighting.
Although it can be somewhat complicated and certainly tedious for us to be aware of the rules that emerge, we must not forget that ultimately they all have an important reason.
In this regard, there are still a few months to go before the DGT can determine the fact of carrying a new object in the car as mandatory, but at the moment of truth, it has been many years since it was warned that this would be implemented recently.
Fernando Grande’s proposal – Marlaska
It was in 2022, when the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, what the government did, sought to obtain a royal decree for the regulation of emergency services on public roads.
At the time of writing, there was collaboration between the Ministries of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Industry, Trade and Tourism, and Defence.
All this has led to changes to the General Vehicle Regulations and the Highway Code.
Goodbye to triangles
One of the most notable was the banning of the classic triangle used to signal danger. The replacement that will now be mandatory will be Signal V16.
For the time being, both devices will continue to coexist and serve to alert when a car is stopped on the road, but the new device must be the only legal option from January 1, 2026.
The instrument is a small yellow colored beacon that will have connectivity, being capable of emitting 360 degree high intensity light intermittently and continuously for about 30 minutes.
It has a battery or cell that has a useful life of at least eighteen months.
Where and how to get it
If you want to be sure that the device you are buying will meet the necessary requirements, you should check the list of models and brands that will approve the same DGTThese are the only ones who will pass the certification process.
There are people who doubt that this represents an expense for drivers, but many dealers and workshops in our country already sell these V16 tags at different prices, so they can be obtained via the Internet.
How can it be used
Placing the triangles requires getting out of the car to place them. Between 2018 and 2020, about 42 people died on intercity roads after getting out of their car. For this reason, the new method promises safer and easier use.
As the General Directorate of Traffic tells us, the design specifications require that it can be kept stable on a flat surface. In the case where, due to the height it is not possible to access the roof of the carwhere the V16 device will have to have certain means, such as a magnet, which can be placed on the driver’s door.
A necessary change
Often, changes bring a series of inconveniences and this is something that we can notice even in the little things of life. Surely, every time there is a modification in WhatsApp that is noticeable, you frown, well, what can we say when we talk about a change in the traffic code.
In the case of substituting triangles, we believe this is the most correct, since There have been quite a few problems and accidents. due to having to go down and put the triangle on.
Now the action will be easier, less dangerous and visibility will be greater, so we are facing a fairly successful change that we believe will be widely accepted.
Changes are not always for the worse
All this shows us that changes will not always be for the worse, which is why we need to reflect, which is very necessary in the case of decisions taken by the administration.
Since a change is going to happen, it better be worth it, more effective, and solve any problems that may arise.
This is what happened with this new tag, which we believe, will reduce the number of deaths or injuriesnot only because of the need to go out to install the triangle as was the case, but also because of the better visibility of the vehicle that will result.
We often criticise the DGT’s decisions, but in this case we believe it was the most correct.
