By Natascha Rivera
Copyright euroweeklynews
FOR a little over two years now, Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic, or DGT, has been alerting drivers to an upcoming important change for the country’s road safety: the new V16 beacons. Now, the deadline looms, as the beacons will become mandatory in just over three months, from January 1, 2026. From this date, the V16 beacons will permanently replace traditional reflective warning triangles for cars.
The beacons are small devices meant to be attached to the roof of the car, aiming to reduce road incidents through a powerful light that is visible from up to 1 kilometre away and from 360 degrees around the vehicle. This will make it easier for other drivers to see vehicles in low-light conditions, as well as detect a broken down or crashed vehicle on the roads. In addition, the beacons use real-time geolocation technology.
It’s important to note that the DGT will only recognise certain V16 lights that comply with all their regulations, which are as follows:
The beacon must be approved by the DGT.
The beacon must have IoT connectivity to link with the DGT 3.0 platform.
The beacon must be able to send the vehicle’s location anonymously and automatically to emergency services and other drivers.
One of the most recommended models of the beacon is the Help Flash IoT+, an upgraded version of its predecessor. The Help Flash IoT+ has better visibility and connectivity. The DGT also has a full list of the pre-approved models on their Web site to help drivers choose.
The DGT recommends keeping the beacons in the glove compartment of the vehicle in case of an accident, and placing it on the roof of the car if such misfortune occurs.
It’s also noteworthy that while many vehicle owners will now be required to own one of these beacons, not every vehicle will need one. Motorcycles, for example, will be exempt from the new rule. The DGT will release an official list of vehicles required to have a beacon ahead of the official change.
Notwithstanding, officials recommend purchasing one as soon as possible in order to avoid fines and legal infractions, as well as get ahead of the curve, as many drivers will be clearing out the stock ahead of the new change.