New traffic regulations: what changes from 1 October
New road rules from 1 October affect scooters, cyclists and motorcyclists on the Costa del Sol. Find out what changes and how it may affect your insurance.
Do you ride a motorcycle, use an electric scooter, or get around the Costa del Sol by bicycle? From 1 October, new traffic regulations are in force that affect you directly — and it's worth knowing about them before you're caught off guard.
The General Traffic Regulations have been updated to better protect those most at risk on the road. For the first time, the rules explicitly introduce the concept of the "vulnerable road user" — cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and scooter riders. And that has real, practical consequences in everyday life.
What changes for electric scooters?
The minimum age to ride an electric scooter rises to 15. Helmets are now compulsory, and if you ride at night or in poor visibility, a reflective vest is also required.
If you use a scooter to get around Marbella, protection is no longer optional — full stop. And if you still don't have insurance for your scooter, now is the time to think about it.
What about bicycles?
On interurban roads, helmets will be compulsory for all cyclists, without exception. But there's more: when overtaking a cyclist on the road, you must reduce your speed by at least 20 km/h and leave a minimum lateral clearance of 1.5 metres.
In urban areas, the minimum following distance behind a bicycle is 5 metres. Small changes that, in practice, demand greater attention at the wheel.
Motorcyclists: gloves and closed footwear now compulsory
If you ride a motorcycle on interurban roads, gloves are now mandatory equipment. Closed footwear is also required at all times, regardless of the type of road.
In addition, motorcycles will be permitted to ride along the hard shoulder in traffic jams and on designated stretches, at a maximum speed of 30 km/h. It's a measure designed to ease congestion, but one that also calls for caution.
Is your motorcycle insurance up to date? The cover you have in place may not be sufficient if your riding habits change.
On dual carriageways: the emergency corridor
When traffic comes to a standstill, all vehicles must move to the sides to create an "emergency corridor". Ambulances and police need that space to reach the scene in time. It is compulsory, and has already been applied in other European countries with good results.
Seatbelts: no more exemptions
Until now, taxi drivers, hauliers and driving instructors were granted certain exemptions regarding seatbelts. From October, that comes to an end. The rule is the same for everyone.
Do these changes affect your insurance?
Yes, and more than you might think. If you have insurance for your electric scooter, now is a good time to review exactly what it covers: third-party liability — that is, damage you may cause to other people or their property — is the most important cover if you travel through areas with heavy pedestrian traffic.
For motorcycles, the newly compulsory equipment (gloves, footwear) is not automatically included in every policy. It's worth reading the particular conditions of your policy carefully — the personalised section of the document where your specific cover is set out — to make sure you have real protection in the event of a claim.
If you'd like a full breakdown of all the changes — including what affects cars, bicycles and motor vehicles — you'll find the details in our article on the new traffic regulations from 1 October.
Staying safe on the road starts with knowing the rules. But it also means having the insurance cover you actually need.
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