Pedestrian bad habits that could land you a €500 fine

A two-and-a-half-year-old toddler who was injured after being run over on Friday, June 13 in Marbella has been discharged from the Costa del Sol Hospital. According to reports, the child’s mother – who was also run over – is still hospitalised, but recovering.

The event occurred on Friday, June 13, on Alfonso de Hohenlohe Boulevard. Seconds later, the 112 coordination room received an emergency call at 1.20pm calling for help and reporting the running over of a woman of 41 years old and her child of 2 and a half years. Members of the local police and 061 ambulance teams rushed to the scene, where they tended to the woman and child before transferring the two to hospital.

The images of the event, caught on dashcam footage and shared via the Marbella Se Queja profile, showed how the vehicle failed to brake in time and the baby’s stroller was thrown in front of another car. The situation could have been horrific.

The baby, who has already been discharged, is in good condition, while the mother remains in hospital. The video also suggested that the mother had not stopped at the crossing before rushing across, pushing her child in a pushchair in front of the oncoming vehicle. One aspect of road use in Spain that many do not realise is that as much as there are rules for drivers on the streets, there are also rules for pedestrians, rules that many do not follow on a daily basis. Non-compliance with these not only risks serious accidents to other road users, but they can also incur heavy fines.

Fines for pedestrians for bad habits on the road

In recent years, the Direction General de Traffic (DGT) has detected an increase in reckless pedestrian behaviour that endangers both pedestrians and drivers. Among the most dangerous behaviours are walking on roads that don’t have pedestrian pavements, the use of mobile phones when crossing the street and not using a pedestrian crossing when there is one. These actions, although they seem harmless, can lead to accidents with serious consequences.

Fines for pedestrians vary depending on the offence committed and are included in the General Traffic Regulations, established in Royal Decree 1428/2003. Refusal to undergo alcohol or drug tests, for example, after being involved in a traffic accident can result in a fine of up to €500. Say, for example, a person in a drunken stupor staggers into the road, causing a vehicle to swerve and bump into a parked car. On arrival of the police, they will no doubt insist on breathalysing the pedestrian too.

As well, crossing at inappropriate places, such as on a bend, or without using an authorised pedestrian crossing when one is available can result in a fine of €80. In the case of ignoring red lights on pedestrian crossings, or the indications of a police officer, the penalty rises to €200. It is also forbidden to walk on motorways or A roads in non-urban areas, an action that can be punished with a fine of €80. The fines mentioned here, refer to those imposed by the DGT. However, the amount can very depending on municipality, and may be much higher.

Pedestrian crossing fines – stop before you walk

With regards to pedestrian crossings, or so-called “zebra crossings”, while generally the law states that pedestrians have priority, the responsibility of the person on foot does not stop there. According to the law, before crossing, pedestrians must make sure that the vehicles have stopped before stepping into the road (where the mother with the pushchair failed), and they must cross perpendicular to the axis of the roadway and not diagonally, without delaying or stopping unnecessarily. It is also illegal to be using in any way a telephone or other electronic device when crossing, and fines similar to those received by drivers for using a telephone when driving may be served to the pedestrian for using the crossing incorrectly.

Luckily, the child in the pushchair was not seriously injured, and like many accidents, it probably happened as a result of lapses in due care of both the driver and the mother.

To guarantee the safety of all road users, the DGT recommends following a series of guidelines. Among them, the importance of using pedestrian crossings, avoiding distractions such as the use of mobile phones when crossing the street and respecting all traffic signs is stressed. The regulation, based on Royal Decree 1428/2003 of November 21, seeks to reduce the number of accidents in which pedestrians are involved and promote safer mobility for everyone. Complying with these rules not only avoids financial penalties but also contributes to greater road safety for all.

Caution: Video may be upsetting to watch for some.