Summer Driving: What You Think You Know About Tickets, and What's True

With the start of summer and the resulting increase in road travel, rumors about "summer-specific" fines are proliferating.

The main source of confusion centers on everyday activities and items of clothing that, while not explicitly prohibited by the General Traffic Regulations, can be grounds for a fine if an officer deems them to directly affect safety or vehicle control.

During the summer, with increased travel and the relaxation associated with vacations, the DGT intensifies surveillance to ensure road safety. This means that fines for common violations may be more frequent. According to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), the objective of the regulations is always to guarantee road safety.

But not everything we hear or see on social media is necessarily true. In fact, many of the most common summer fines are nothing more than hoaxes, even if there may be some justification behind them.

The DGT insists that the true objective of fines is not revenue collection, but accident prevention. Road safety fundamentally depends on drivers maintaining full control of their vehicle, avoiding distractions, and maintaining optimal visibility at all times.

Aside from hoaxes, the violations listed below are real and are considered serious or very serious by the DGT.

During a time like summer, when fatigue, high temperatures, and long hours behind the wheel are more common, attention to these basic rules becomes even more critical to ensuring a safe trip for everyone.

The DGT always recommends planning your trips, getting enough rest, avoiding distractions while driving, and, above all, not consuming alcohol or drugs while driving to enjoy a safe summer on the roads.