It is 20 years since the entry into force in the South Basque Country of the Point Driving Licence
Road mortality has fallen by 60% since the entry into force of the point driving licence. In these two decades, drivers in the Spanish state have lost more than 72 million points, mostly due to exceeding speed limits, driving under the influence of alcohol and passing red lights.
A checkpoint for the Ertzaintza.
In these two decades, drivers have lost more than 72 million points in the Spanish state. The main causes of loss have been to exceed speed limits, drive under the influence of alcohol and pass red lights.
The measure was implemented with two main objectives: to improve driver behaviour and reduce road deaths. The target can be said to have been met, witha 60% drop in accident deaths since the entry into force of the driving licence. According to DGT data, 4,442 people died on the road in 2005 and 1,785 in 2024, which means that the mortality rate per million inhabitants has risen from 101 to 37.
This system was based on the models of Germany and France . At first, each driver in the South Basque Country was awarded 12 points — 8 points for new drivers — and if he drove well year after year, he could get a maximum of 15 points. The measure caused a lot of excitement at first because it completely changed his philosophy: from having a license forever, there might be a risk of losing it for lack of points.
Speed, alcohol and traffic lights: major violations
Over the course of two decades, more than 72.1 million points have been withdrawn from drivers in the Spanish state through more than 20 million penalties. Exceeding speed limits has been the main reason for the withdrawal of points (a total of 24.4 million points), followed by driving under the influence of alcohol (9.2 million) and red traffic lights (8.4 million). The most serious offences, such as exceeding the permitted alcohol rate, drug use, or driving with a mobile phone in hand, are punishable by six points.
The system launched awareness and road education courses , and 88.4% of those who took the course have not committed a repeat offence in the next six months.
This model has undergone two legislative reforms since its entry into force (in 2011 and 2022), the last of which tightened penalties for using mobile phones at driving time, raising the points taken from 3 to 6 by the mere fact of carrying the phone in your hand.
With a view to the future, they stress that they will continue to update the regulations, including lowering the maximum permitted alcohol rate to 0.2 g/l. Although some motorists' associations criticise errors in the notification of fines, both victim associations and the DGT management agree that this measure has changed social awareness from a mere right to a commitment to personal responsibility.
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