The fines you can get for driving whilst wearing a heavy coat, or flip-flops

The December 'super bridge' has arrived, in which by taking three days off work you can have 9 days at home or on holiday. It is the longest of the year due to the two bank holidays, and with it, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) estimates that 13.5 million trips will be carried out throughout Spain and the islands.

Whenever an event like this occurs, be it at Easter or the Christmas holidays, surveillance on the roads is doubled, and of course this one also coincides with the first week of December, in which Christmas dinners and lunches are already being held, and the probability of being fined is greater.

For this reason, doubts often arise as to some of the fines you can get, for example, whether you can be fined for wearing ‘inappropriate’ clothing when driving. The truth is that the DGT does not expressly prohibit wearing a certain type of clothing, but this means that it is in the interpretation of the police officer that stops you.

Officially, the General Traffic Regulations establish that drivers "are obliged to maintain their own freedom of movement" (article 18.1 of RD 1428/2003), and to "maintain conditions to control their vehicles at all times" (art. 17.1), which means that there are certain situations that can cause problems.

In the summer, this can be as simple as wearing flip-flops, as they can get caught under the pedals and prevent the necessary control because of their shape, or swimming trunks, which can cause seat belt injuries.

In winter, the problem may be precisely the limitation of movement, with three big suspects: bulky coats, thick boots, and gloves. You may not think this when sitting in your apartment or villa in the south of Tenerife with the sun still shining, however in other parts of the islands, and of course, mainland Spain, these items of clothing are essential.

On cold mornings the last thing anyone wants to do is indeed take off their coat and gloves in a car that will feel like a freezer until the engine warms up, but wait until that happens before risking an 80 euro fine, which is the amount you can be fined for this.

Aldo, if you have a young child or infant in a car seat, please note that this is also true for toddlers as they fit differently in their seats. They must also go coatless while wearing their restraint systems as heavy coats can restrict or change their movement or the effectiveness of the restraints themselves.