Police slam new compulsory V-16 emergency light for drivers in Spain

From January 1st, 2026, passenger vehicles in Spain will be required to use an emergency light in the event of a breakdown or road accident, however it has been met with much criticism.

The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) first presented the V-16 emergency light in 2021 and it is due to officially replace the standard warning triangles in 2026, meaning most of Spain's 28 million drivers have to purchasing one by the start of next year.

The V-16 light is designed to reduce the number of accidents caused by vehicles breaking down in the middle or on the side of roads, as well as reduce the number of drivers being run over while they’re using the warning triangles.

READ MORE: Everything drivers need to know about Spain's V-16 light

However, Spain's Unified Association of Civil Guard Police have criticised the effectiveness of these new lights already.

They claim that they’re not useful on roads with a high number of bends as oncoming drivers don't get the pre-warning that a triangle provides.

Furthermore, they stress that the V-16 lights are not bright or visible enough during daytime hours, rendering them useless.

In the past, Spanish Civil Guard officers have also spoken out on social media about the dangers of these lights.

In a tweet from last year, the association said: "According to DGT studies, many drivers have died after being hit by vehicles due to getting out to put down the warning triangle, but they don't know how many accidents have been avoided by using it. The new little light is useless if the vehicle is at the top of a hill or after a sharp bend”.

Guardia Civil officers argue that the V-16 lights may not fulfil their purpose in daylight hours due to their visibility not covering the full 360 degrees.

This is because the mandatory intensity for these lights is between 40 and 80 candela (light intensity units), which must be has for at least 30 minutes.

Therefore, they are not visible from a kilometre away during the day.

READ ALSO: The cheapest new cars to buy in Spain in 2025

Some manufacturers have been making V-16s with an intensity of up to 200 candela to counteract this. Unfortunately, this comes with another issue in that it may be harmful to the driver's eyesight if viewed for a long period of time.

According to the DGT website, V-16 lights must be approved or certified and must also be connected to the DGT 3.0 GPS platform, which allows the exact location of a vehicle to be sent in real time.

This connectivity is what's increased their cost to around €50, another grievance for drivers.

The DGT website gives a list of V-16 light models which have already been approved.

If you are buying a new car from a dealership in Spain, it’s recommended that you request the V-16 emergency light to be included free of charge.

Then again, you may want to wait a bit longer to find out if they have to be adapted to counteract their current shortcomings.

Driving in Spain: The new road signs from July 2025