Tourists, be warned: Spain is proposing stricter drink-driving laws, and they could be enforced by the end of the year.
The country’s Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) wants to introduce new alcohol rules for all drivers — including those on bicycles and e-scooters — by the end of the year.
The aim is for a universal alcohol limit of 0.2g per litre in the blood or 0.1mg per litre in breath. That would mean almost zero alcohol consumption before getting behind the wheel.
Even a small glass of wine or beer could put you over the threshold.
The idea is to significantly reduce alcohol-related accidents and deaths in Spain, which caused 312 fatalities and 518 serious injuries from 4,283 incidents in 2022.
The proposal comes days after a Spanish man was involved in a shocking accident in Palma.
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The 23-year-old, who was driving drunk and without a license, hit another vehicle outside a bar, then walked in and ordered a beer.
‘We were all in the bar and suddenly we saw him coming straight towards us. It was a shock and we were lucky that the high kerb slowed the car down, otherwise it would have crashed into the building,’ the owner of the Taberna Can Bruno told the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
If they are introduced, those who fail to follow the new rules could face serious consequences under Spanish law.
Drivers could be slapped with fines of between €500 (£435) and €1,000 (£875) if caught over the limit, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The fine depends on the alcohol level and if you are a repeat offender.
Other punishments could include a three to six-month prison sentence, community service, or a driving ban of up to four years.
Spain uses a 12-point system, so drivers could also face having points deducted from their license.
Refusing a breathalyser test is another serious and separate offense, and could land you in deep trouble with the authorities.
Jesús Monclús, director of the Road Safety and Prevention Area at the Mapfre Foundation, said the proposal should be understood as ‘not a single alcoholic drink if I’m going to drive.’
Álvaro Gómez, director of the DGT’s National Road Safety Observatory, explained that reducing the maximum legal blood alcohol level hopes to ‘reduce the percentage of drivers who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, and thus the associated accidents.’
He continued: ‘The impact is expected not only in the 0.2-0.5g/l limit, but also at higher levels.
‘In Sweden and Norway, two benchmark countries, a significant reduction in accidents was observed after implementing a 0.2g/l limit.’
Ultimately, because alcohol tolerance varies based on each individual, a zero-tolerance policy is the safest approach.
If you are planning on driving in Spain, it’s best not to drink. If you are planning on drinking, it’s best not to drive. Simple.
Spain’s new alcohol laws
The proposed drink-driving rules aren’t the only new alcohol laws in Spain. The country has implemented stricter regulations recently to curb anti-social tourist behaviour in recent years.
The six-drink cap
Where: Playa de Palma, S’Arenal and Magaluf, all in Mallorca, and the West End of San Antonio, Ibiza.
Once upon a time, all-inclusive deals meant you could guzzle down as much food and booze as you could manage. On the party islands of Mallorca and Ibiza, guests now have a six-drink limit. Under the rules, you can have three drinks at lunch, and a further three at dinner.
However, the cap only applies to regions that have been badly affected by disruptive guests.
On Magaluf’s infamous strip, pub crawls have also been banned.
Alcohol ban
Where: Llucmajor, Palma, Calvia (Magaluf) in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.
When: 2024.
A late night drinks ban prohibiting the sale of alcoholic drinks from 9.30pm to 8am the next day was introduced last year.
The ban means you can’t just stock up on drinks before the curfew and continue drinking through the night, as you won’t be allowed to drink on public roads during these times.
