Driving schools are implementing the DGT regulatory changes for obtaining a motorcycle driving license from today.

As of Tuesday, the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has required driving schools to require airbag use for students taking the motorcycle license exam. The practical test now prioritizes riding on the road rather than on a closed circuit.

This measure is included in a ministerial order, published on March 6 in the Official State Gazette (BOE), which regulates training for motorcyclists to gradually access a class A driving license .

The regulation goes into effect this Tuesday, July 1, as the DGT has given driving schools a three-month period to adapt to the new requirements outlined in the order.

To obtain an A license, motorcyclists must be over 20 years old, have held an A2 license for at least two years (which allows them to drive motorcycles with a power of 0.2 kW/kg and up to 35 kW), and complete an access course to obtain a class A license.

The order requires, in the practical aspect of obtaining a license, the use of airbags for students and teachers, as it protects critical areas of the thorax, an area where 35% of motorcyclists die and more than 25% of hospitalized motorcyclists suffer injuries.

Considering that the person who obtains this license can drive motorcycles of any engine capacity and that it is the most common license for motorcyclists involved in fatal accidents, the order emphasizes training in the main causes of fatal accidents, awareness of their consequences, training drivers in motorcycle driver assistance systems, and adapting the course content to new mobility.

On the other hand, the regulation gives greater weight to driving on open roads over closed circuits, considering that, in the case of students who have held a class A2 driving license for two years, they have sufficient skill in closed-circuit maneuvers.

Thus, three hours of theoretical knowledge will be taught, two hours of closed-circuit training, and four hours of riding on roads open to general traffic. Two of the four hours of training on riding on roads open to traffic must be on conventional roads. This type of road is where most fatal motorcyclist accidents occur.

The theoretical training includes knowledge of motorcycle driver assistance systems (ARS), technical assistance systems incorporated into motorcycles that contribute to making riding safer and, consequently, reducing accidents. In addition, content is updated on new mobility, emphasizing the main risk factors and the protection of vulnerable groups.

Another new feature is that the instructor will be required to supervise the students on motorcycles during practice sessions on roads open to traffic. These sessions will be conducted in groups of a maximum of three students per instructor. For practice sessions on closed circuits, each instructor will have a maximum of five students.

Furthermore, the theoretical content can be completed online, through distance learning or a virtual classroom. Once the course has been completed, which must be accredited by the school that taught it, the holder can apply to the DGT for a class A permit.