Spain and Italy consider new road safety regulations

Spain has announced new safety requirements for motorcyclists, mandating the use of protective gloves on extra-urban roads starting October 1, 2026. This regulation extends previous rules that only applied to motorways and includes passengers, who must wear gloves on motorways, highways, and extra-urban roads. Violations may result in fines of approximately 200 euros.

In Italy, the Ministry of Transport is considering several reforms to the Highway Code. One proposal involves mandating protective gloves and back protection for motorcyclists on motorways. Additionally, the Ministry is evaluating a ban on smartphone use by pedestrians while crossing streets to reduce distraction-related accidents. Under this draft proposal, pedestrians using phones while on crosswalks or roadways could face fines of up to 75 euros. The reform also suggests that pedestrians must visually verify the intentions of approaching drivers.