Since the implementation of the new regulations of the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT)Many drivers wonder what happens if, in addition to using the connected V16 beacon, they continue to use the traditional emergency triangles. The question is very specific: Can you be fined for using warning triangles next to the V16 beacon? What happens when you have a breakdown or a minor accident on the road?
The rule change has caused quite a bit of confusion, because for a while Triangles and V16 lights coexisted as valid systems. Now the connected beacon has become the only mandatory device, but many motorists still carry the triangles in the trunk and wonder if using them as reinforcement of the signaling could cause a problem with the Traffic Police.
The connected V16 beacon, the only mandatory system from 2026
Traffic regulations state that, as of January 1, 2026, the V16 emergency beacon connected It is the only mandatory warning device for passenger cars, mixed-use vehicles, goods vehicles, and buses that become immobilized on the road due to a breakdown or accident. Traditional emergency triangles are no longer the legally required system.
This change is based on a very clear criterion: reduce the risk of being run over when the driver has to get out of the car and walk between 50 and 100 meters along the road or shoulder to place the warning triangles. Every year in Spain, around 25 people die after being run over after getting out of the vehicle due to an incident, and many of them do so precisely to place the traditional signage.
The great advantage of the V16 is that It is placed from inside the vehicle, usually mounted on the roof thanks to a magnetic base, without needing to travel along the road. Furthermore, the connected beacons send their anonymous geolocated location to the DGT 3.0 platformThis allows you to warn other users through real-time traffic dashboards, browsers, or applications.
Before and after January 1, 2026
Until the date this obligation fully came into effect, the DGT allowed the combined use of triangles and V16 beaconIn other words, until January 1, 2026, it was legal to continue using both advance warning systems to alert drivers of the presence of a broken-down vehicle on the road.
However, once that threshold is crossed, Triangles cease to be valid as a regulatory deviceThis means that, legally, the only item whose presence and use is mandatory in the event of a breakdown or accident is the connected and approved V16 warning light. Failure to carry it in the vehicle or to use it during a breakdown is considered a traffic violation punishable by the Traffic Authority.
Even so, the fact that warning triangles are no longer mandatory doesn't mean they have to disappear from the trunk. The key lies in how their use is viewed from that point forward: as a voluntary supplementnot as a substitute for the new beacon.
Is it punishable to place triangles next to the V16?
The question that worries many drivers is very straightforward: if I have already installed the V16 light on the roof, Can I be fined for getting out of the car and placing the emergency triangles? A few meters further back to increase visibility? The answer, according to internal DGT guidelines for the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard, is that No fines will be imposed for that reason.
An instruction issued by the DGT at the end of the year, just before the mandatory use of the beacon came into effect, expressly clarifies that The warning triangle placed as a supplementary measure “will not be considered an obstacle on the road” and therefore, “will not be subject to complaint”In other words, if you use the triangles as a support to the V16 and not as a replacement, the Traffic Division of the Civil Guard should not penalize you for it.
This criterion responds to a request from commanders within the Traffic Group itself, who informed the DGT that in certain scenarios —very tight curves, changes in gradient, or sections with reduced visibility— the triangle continues to provide an extra warning to approaching drivers, reinforcing the effect of the beacon.
The DGT's position: V16 mandatory, triangles not recommended
Although internal regulations prevent fines from being issued to anyone who Use triangles as a complementThe DGT maintains a clear position: does not recommend its useThe official message insists that the priority must always be the personal safety of the driver and the vehicle's occupants, and that walking along the shoulder to place triangles involves taking a risk that can be considerable.
The DGT itself reminds us that, in case of a breakdown or minor accident, the ideal protocol is stop the car in a place as far away from the road as possibleActivate the connected V16 beacon, exit the vehicle on the side opposite to traffic, Take shelter off the road and shoulder —for example, behind a protective barrier— and wait for assistance to arrive without remaining in the path of oncoming vehicles.
Thus, although the use of warning triangles is not prohibited, the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) emphasizes that each driver must assess whether it is worth the risk to place them. Or, to put it colloquially, the Traffic Authority is essentially saying: “If they want to take that risk, it’s their decision, but the important thing is to place the beacon and leave the roadway.”What they do make clear is that those who choose to use triangles will not be penalized.
When can you be fined for improper signage?
Where there is no room for interpretation is in the mandatory use of the V16 beacon, connected and approvedNot carrying it in the vehicle, not using it in case of a breakdown, or using a model that does not comply with regulations can result in a fine. The DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) equates this situation to that of the old warning triangles when they were mandatory.
En general, the fine for not having the V16 or not using it during a stop is situated around the 80 EurosThis is considered a minor infraction, similar to the penalty previously imposed for failing to place or carry emergency triangles. This fine can be levied whether the vehicle lacks the required warning triangle or if, in the event of an incident, the driver fails to use it to properly signal their presence on the road.
Furthermore, the regulations distinguish a more serious scenario: failure to properly signal an emergency stopIn that case, the penalty can reach 200 EurosThis is because it is considered to significantly endanger the safety of other road users. This infraction is independent of whether or not the vehicle has warning triangles in the trunk; the determining factor is the correct use of the V16 warning triangle.
The role of the reflective vest and other obligations
The V16 beacon is not the only element to consider when a breakdown occurs. approved reflective vest It remains another key piece of mandatory equipment. The General Traffic Regulations require its use when the driver exits the vehicle and steps onto the roadway or shoulder on interurban roads, and its absence can result in a The penalty is a fine of up to 200 euros and the loss of four points on your license. if you are driving on the road without this high-visibility garment.
The authorities' recommendation is clear: when stopping a vehicle due to an incident, you must Place it in an area as far away from traffic as possible.Activate the V16 beacon, put on your reflective vest before setting off, and find a safe place, such as the other side of the safety barrier. Signaling is important, but the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) reminds us that The absolute priority must always be the physical safety of the occupants., above the car itself or the objects it is carrying.
Can another driver report you for not carrying the V16 Beacon?
Another question that has arisen as a result of the new regulations is whether one driver can report another for not carrying the V16 warning light or for not using it in the event of a breakdown. Any person or company can file a traffic complaint with the competent authority, but the law makes it clear that only the complaints filed by the traffic enforcement officers They have full probative value.
This means that, although an individual may go to a Traffic Headquarters or police station to report the facts and provide evidence —for example, photographs or videos—, it will be the authority that assesses whether or not to initiate a sanctioning procedure. Citizen complaints do not, in themselves, carry the same weight. than those of an agent on duty, and its effectiveness will depend on the strength of the evidence presented and the assessment made by the administration.
Overall, the new regulations on advance hazard warnings in Spain are based on a simple idea: The only mandatory device is a connected and approved V16 beacon.Their absence or misuse can result in fines ranging from 80 to 200 euros. Warning triangles have been relegated to a voluntary and supplementary role, and placing them along the V16 is not considered grounds for a penalty, although the Traffic Department advises against unnecessarily putting oneself at risk to place them on the road. Between the warning beacon, the reflective vest, and the recommendation to leave the road as soon as possible to take refuge in a safe place, the objective is clear: reduce pedestrian accidents and secondary accidents that occur each year when a vehicle is stopped on the road.