Intro to Spain Car Seat Laws
In Spain, as in most developed countries, the safety of children while travelling in a car is of utmost importance. The regulations surrounding the use of child car seats are designed to protect our most vulnerable passengers and reduce the risk of serious injury or death in case of an accident. For parents and guardians travelling in Spain, understanding the car seat laws is essential to ensure you comply with the law and keep your child safe.
Spanish law requires every child under 135 cm in height to be seated in an appropriate child car seat while travelling in a vehicle. However, it is important to note that the recommended height for using a booster seat is 150 cm, so the law is actually more lenient than the recommendation. As a parent or guardian , you are responsible for making sure your child is safely strapped into their seatbelt or booster seat, even if your child is over the recommended age of seven.
Infants must be seated in a rear-facing position until they reach 15 months of age. From 15 months to four years old, children can face forward in the car, but it is advisable to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible, as research shows that this is the safest position in the event of an accident.
There are several types of car seats available in Spain, and the rules for using each type are different. It is important to familiarize yourself with the options and make the best decision for your child based on their age, weight, and the specific regulations set out by the law.
Who is Required to Use a Car Seat in Spain?
When it comes to child car seats in Spain, the law can be confusing; after all, they have different requirements to those in other European countries. According to Spanish law, there are three main ‘rules’ for child car seats. These are;
• Under the age of 135cms (around 4 ½ years), all children must sit either in a booster seat or infant car seat
• All children under the age of 3 must be in a rear-facing seat
• All children are required to wear a seatbelt when travelling in any type of vehicle
The law is not as strict on children over the age of 135cms. They are not required to use a child car seat or booster seat, but must be seated either in a seatbelt or an approved restraint system.
In terms of height, a child who is over 135cms can legally travel in a normal seat without a seatbelt. However, parents travelling with children who are between 135 and 150cms are advised to use a booster seat to ensure that they are safe whilst driving. Any child under the height of 135cms must be in a car seat or booster seat at all times whilst in any type of vehicle.
All boosters and car seats must be approved and properly secured as per the law. Any child seats that are not approved or incorrectly fitted can result in penalties, fines and/or penalty point deductions.
Here are the groups of child car seats that are approved according to European standards;
A group I seat is suitable for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years, and can be either rear or forward-facing. A group II child car seat is appropriate for children 4-7 years of age and a group III child seat is suitable from 4 years and upwards. The group II and III car seats can be fitted across the back of the car. Alternatively, a booster seat can be used in a car with three available seats in the back. Both car seats should be forward-facing only.
Types of Car Seats Allowed in Spain
In Spain, the legal regulations regarding child car seats fall under the General Traffic Law and its implementing regulations. Specifically, Royal Legislative Decree 6/2015 establishes the requirements for child restraint systems. The law categorises these systems based on age and weight, specifying that children under 135 cm or 36 kg must be in an appropriate child restraint system adapted to their size, height, or weight.
Type A: Rear-Facing Baby Seats
First, the law requires rear-facing baby seats for children until they are at least 9 to 13 kg, approximately 15 months of age. These seats must be attached to the vehicle in a rear-facing position unless specified otherwise by the chair manufacturer, which may mark their products as reversible. Not all chairs approved for Group 0/0+ allow for a forward-facing position.
Group 0/0+: Group 0 (children 0-10kg) and Group 0+ (children 0-13kg) Group I: From 9 up to 18kg (approximately from 9 months to 4 years) Group II: From 15 up to 25kg (approximately up to 6 years) Group III: From 22 up to 36kg (approximately up to 11 years) Grouping After Installations in the Vehicle: Once the baby/child is in the car, parents should use the instructions provided by the specific manufacturer to ensure installation directions and final retention of the baby/ child/ children.
Type B: Forward Facing Child Seats
Child seats that can be mounted on front- or rear-facing positions must only be used in the front seat if the airbag is disabled, or in the back seats only when there is no back seat available or transportation is done in a transport van.
Type C: Booster Chairs with Backrest and Seat Covers
Like type B, the child seat must only be used in the back seat if the car is not equipped with seat cover/ backrest or a convertible van.
Type D: Boosters without Backrest and Seat Covers
If a child is tall enough, he or she does not need a backrest, but the car seat must still be taken into consideration. The child can then ride safely sitting on a booster without a backrest.
Fifth Category: Baby Trolleys
The fifth category of baby trolleys, which can be mounted on front- or rear-facing positions in the car, must only be used in the front seat if the airbag is disabled, or in the back seats only when there is no back seat available or transportation is done in a transport van.
How to Install and Use Car Seats in Spain
To ensure their safety, babies and toddlers should face backwards in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 15 months of age. Even though there are two different installation systems available for rear-facing car seats – a seatbelt or an ISOFIX system, parents should install the car seat with the ISOFIX points whenever possible. Doing so is safer both for the child and the parent, who can avoid lifting heavy objects. The Isofix points increase the stability of the car seat, but still require 6 tethering hooks to further eliminate movement.
In Spain, parents are required by law to use booster seats for their children until they reach a height of 135 cm or until they turn 12 years old. Again, there are two types of booster seats available for sale: an integrated model, with a seatbelt, and one that uses the normal seatbelt in combination with a seatbelt. The latter is less safe. It is crucial to select a booster seat that is easily compatible with the type of strap system present in the car.
Parents should use booster seats that are of a recent design and approved by the appropriate authority, such as the R129 ECE Regulation. Check for the E-mark when procuring a car booster seat. At this stage, parents should also make sure that the booster seat does not exceed 25 kg in weight, in order to ensure easy transfer between multiple cars and easier handling.
Mistakes Parents Make and How to Ensure Compliance
A common mistake is using a car seat that’s too small for the child, and this happens more often when a sibling is born. Parents naturally want to save on the need to purchase another, larger car seat so they let their older child continue to use their now-too-small one as long as possible. This results in the child being properly protected while the car is in motion. Families have several car seats with a range of sizes depending on the size of the child. Additional car seats can be expensive, so it’s wise to take care of this when the child is ready to make the move from one to another.
Another common error is the type of fix: Parents sometimes remove extra parts from booster seats, including harnesses or even headrests designed to keep the child secure . The child should never be allowed to ride without proper safety restraints. In addition, parents may be tempted to skip a shared ride because their ride has an insufficient number of seatbelts to accommodate all passengers. Children are sometimes driven by unlicensed individuals in cars that do not have the required number of seatbelts. This puts their children at risk.
A last common error is not correctly installing the car seat. Parents aren’t always aware of how to properly install a car seat and this may result in a crash that could cause injury. Car seats should always be placed in the rear of the vehicle and the centre seat is safest.
What are the Penalties for Not Using a Car Seat?
As in many European countries, fines and penalties apply throughout Spain for parents who do not use child car seats. The maximum fine is €600. In addition, the authorities can hand out an indefinite suspension of driving rights to offending parents, and their license will be automatically re-issued upon confirmation of their level or progress in a rehabilitation program.
The Spanish Traffic Authority (the DGT, which handles driving penalties) notes that the fine for driving without a seat belt is €200; however, the fine for driving in a vehicle where a child is not wearing a seat belt is double that at €400. In addition, points will be added to the offending parent’s driving license. Concerted action between the DGT and the Civil Guard traffic officers on the Spanish road network finalized 50,057 traffic penalties between them (or roughly 334 a day) for failing to comply with rules on child safety (not wearing a seat belt, transporting children under the age of 12 in the front seat of a vehicle, and driving a car containing a child under the age of 12 without the necessary safety accessories for the child’s height). In fact, according to the Traffic Authority in 2016 more than 966,000 penalties were handed out for traffic offense such as driving without a seat belt. The DGT notes that parents plead ignorance or complacency regarding car seat laws with excuses such as, "Oh, my child is above 135 centimeters" or "My child does not have seat belts in their car." The law is a little stricter than that: a child under 135 centimeters has to use a booster seat, and no boosters are allowed in a car without seat belts. In addition, infractions regarding having a rear-view mirror or windows tinted for children are also liable to fines. The same amount of €200 applies here, although in this case points will not be added to the license. It is all too easy for parents not to use car seats for their children. New parents may be exhausted and not pay attention, or children may be screaming or refusing to put them on. However, it is a legal requirement and as such, must be adhered to.
Spain Car Seat Laws – FAQs
Q: What ages are required to use a child car seat in Spain?
A: Children should use an approved child car seat until they are 135cm tall, or 150cm from the age of 10 to 12 years. When this height is reached, they may move to using an adult seat belt.
Q: Are there any exemptions from using a child car seat when traveling in Spain?
A: Yes, there are some exemptions. An exemption applies if you are in an emergency vehicle, or if the journey is less than 50km (31 miles) and does not exceed one hour. However, if you live in Spain, you are expected to have a properly-fitted, approved child car seat for every occupant. For occasional one-off journeys, it is possible to apply for an exemption by contacting your regional traffic department (Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico).
Q: Are there penalties for parents who do not follow the law when it comes to child car seats in Spain?
A: Anyone caught without a correct child car seat will be fined €200 (£186) and will receive three penalty points against their license (if applicable). Police can and will stop a car that is travelling with children not in child car seats for a road-side check, and roadside police can issue fines on the spot.
Q: Can children travel in the front seat when using a child car seat?
A: The law in Spain states that children can travel in the front passenger seat only if the rear seats are occupied by children who have already reached 150cm or 135cm, respectively, and are using approved child car seats. If there is room in the rear of the vehicle, it is expected that children will be seated there.
Q: What is the safest place for a child car seat in Spain?
A: The safest place is in the middle of the rear seat. If it does not fit there – some cars have seat belts that are not long enough to safely secure this kind of seat – the child car seat should be placed behind the front passenger seat. If the rear seat has headrests, they must not impede the installation of the child car seat.
Additional Resources and Their Use
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, parents can visit the official website of Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) in Spain at www.dgt.es. They also have a dedicated area for child safety, road traffic education and a directory of regional traffic offices, known as Jefaturas Territoriales de Tráfico. For parents looking for the specific law, they can refer to the Ley sobre el Transporte de Mercancías por Carretera which covers all transportation regulations concerning loading and safety on public roads. Financiación de la Seguridad Vial trafico.dgt.es/es/salvadias/ley_seguridad_vial . htm is the document reference that pertains to the section on child safety and car seats (Article 3; Section 2 d). Directions on how to properly install a child restraint or booster seat can be found at www.comunidad.madrid/servicios/transporte-privado/formacion-vial/consejo-laboral-instalacion-sillas-auto-alumnos-mot). This document outlines installation according to ECE R44 standards, medical exemptions as well as storage and maintenance of the device. It is also a reference on which kind of restraint system fits which age and weight group, and provides useful illustrations that can come in handy to new parents and parents who are unsure on how to choose their kid’s safety restraints.