DGT distraction campaign (Oct 2026): phones, 4 in 10 fines

The DGT found that the phone is still the most penalised distraction: 3,816 of the 9,245 fines issued in the campaign were for using it improperly while driving. The campaign ran from 5 to 11 October 2026, with 8,584 checks by the Guardia Civil Traffic Group, which inspected 422,927 vehicles. Of these, 9,126 were fined for some offence linked to distractions.

The DGT breaks the fines down as follows:

The checks also detected 1,061 drivers with an alcohol level above the legal limit who had also committed a distraction, and 931 who tested positive for drugs. The fines in the table add up to 7,253. Adding the alcohol and drug fines brings the total to 9,245.

The rule bans using a phone, a navigation system or any other communication system while driving, unless the communication is made without using your hands or wearing headphones, earphones or similar devices. Article 18.2 of the Highway Code regulations (Reglamento General de Circulación) and Article 13.3 of the Traffic Law (Ley sobre Tráfico) set this out.

The consequences depend on the behaviour:

• Holding a phone in your hand while driving is a serious offence: a fine of 200 euros and the loss of 6 points.
• Driving with headphones or earphones connected to audio devices means losing 3 points.
• Not wearing your seat belt, or not wearing it properly, means losing 4 points.

Points are lost once the penalty becomes final. If in doubt, the practical rule is simple: before you set off, set your navigation and keep your phone out of reach.

Fastening your seat belt while moving counts as a distraction because it forces you to let go of the steering wheel and take your attention off the road. The campaign records it as the third most fined behaviour, with 421 fines. Drivers must keep their freedom of movement, their field of vision and their constant attention on driving (Article 18.1 of the Highway Code regulations).

The correct practice is to fasten your belt before you start the vehicle and check that all occupants are wearing theirs. The seat belt is compulsory for the driver and passengers on both urban and interurban roads.

The 2025 report shows 1,775 people killed in 103,591 crashes on urban and interurban roads, 1% fewer deaths than in 2024, that is, 10 fewer deaths. By contrast, the number of people admitted to hospital rose 3%, to 9,888 (327 more).

The DGT points out that this slight fall happened alongside more travel: 478.6 million long-distance trips on interurban roads, 3.4% more than the year before. Spain ended 2025 with 36 deaths per million inhabitants, below the European Union average of 43, but still behind countries such as Sweden (20) or Denmark (23).

In cities there were 67,616 crashes with casualties, with 496 deaths and 5,034 people admitted to hospital. Urban roads account for 65% of crashes, but 28% of deaths and 51% of seriously injured people.

In cities, most of those killed are vulnerable road users: pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and personal mobility vehicle (VMP) users made up 81% of deaths on urban roads in 2025.

Pedestrian run-overs (atropellos) are the deadliest type of crash in cities (43% of deaths), followed by run-off-road crashes (salidas de vía) with 22% and 111 deaths, which mainly involve motorcyclists.

According to the DGT, 30% of those killed on urban roads were not using the compulsory safety equipment, such as a helmet or a seat belt, and that percentage keeps rising. By user type, 26 of the 73 car occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt, 13 of the 21 VMP users were not wearing protective gear, 12 cyclists were not wearing a helmet, and 7 of the 132 motorcyclists were not either.

All of this matters for the theory test because the rules behind these figures are common questions in the DGT theory test: phone and headphone use, seat belts and restraint systems, pedestrian priority and respect for vulnerable road users.

Focus especially on these points:

• You may only use a phone without using your hands or wearing headphones or earphones.
• Fasten your seat belt before you set off, and it is compulsory on all roads.
• Outside built-up areas, when overtaking cyclists or VMP users, you must leave at least 1.5 metres and reduce your speed to at least 20 km/h below the road's limit.
• From 1 October 2026, VMP drivers must wear a helmet, and all cyclists must wear one on interurban roads.

Remember that the theory test has 30 questions and you pass with a maximum of 3 errors.

The DGT's two press releases from October 2026 point in the same direction: the phone is still the most penalised distraction, and vulnerable road users make up most of the deaths in cities. For the theory test, master the rules on phones, headphones, seat belts and vulnerable road users. You can practise test-style questions on all of these topics at www.driveiq.es. Always check the full press releases on the DGT website.