Restrictions on driving with a Spanish DL.

I know of a guy who has just renewed his Spanish DL and now has the restrictions that he is not permitted to drive  over 75 KPH and not permitted to drive more than 20 K from his home.  So cannot even drive to get the ITV.

I have never heard of that happening and was wondering if anyone has any info.

PS  I personally do not understand why if a person is allowed to drive 20 K what difference it makes if he drives 100 or more.  The maximum permitted speed may be logical.

Have a look at the N332.es web site they were only talking about this a couple of months ago and from what i remember it is legal to put restrictions on your licence

There must surely be some reason for these restrictions? Does he also wear a tag and have to report to a police station on a regular basis?

Please clarify this ASAP, otherwise you'll just be adding weight to the arguments of the "under the radar" crowd - better to drive with a fake foreign driving licence bought online than to get a genuine Spanish one etc. etc.....

He is a friend of a friend.  He is English, apparently in his 60’s and to my friend he appears active and alert.   My friend said he will enquire and let me know if a reason stated.  Ii is because  of that info I was asking the question here

I have copied &pasted below the Hidden secret codes on your driving licence, that was published on the Costa Blanca police www.n332.es web page. Though it does not give you a expanation of why you may have certain codes you can see what codes mean, then you can go ask Traffico, hope this helps

CODE NUMBERS ON THE DRIVING LICENCE

Decoded: the secret code on the driving licence
Here you have the jumble of numbers: At first glance, the many figures on your driving licence are confusing. We will decode the secret key for you.

That is what is hidden behind the code numbers on the back, under the OBSERVATIONS section, numbered 12.
You have to wear:

01 You have to wear corrective lenses and/or eye protection if this has been expressly required by a doctor’s note:

01.01 Glasses
01.02 Contact lenses
01.03 Safety glasses

02 You require a hearing/communication aid
03 You need a prosthetic/orthotic limb

05 Driving restrictions for medical reasons
05.01 You may only drive in daylight
05.02 Restriction to within a radius of … km around your place of residence or within city limits/within the region …
05.03 You may only drive without passengers/pillion riders
05.04 Restricted to a maximum permitted speed of … km/h
05.05 Only with passengers holding a driving licence
05.06 Without trailers
05.07 Not valid on motorways
05.08 No alcohol

Please, look at the photo and check if you have the code 01, if you have it, you must wear glasses/ contact lenses while driving.

Thanks Nitram for the list,  but there are well over 100 restrictions in the full list (http://www.capitanlorenzana.com/UTILIDADES/Codigos P.Conducir.pdf)

I have  now a copy of the DL of Terry, my friend’s friend.

I see he is 76 years old and that the DL has a valid of 13 months only.

My friend tells me Terry appears to be fit and well.

I have suggested that Terry goes back to the medical test centre and ask why the restrictions were imposed (apparently by them).   I also see  from  the web that the 20 km he is restricted to might be from his home, town or region, but it does not specify which on the DL.

I will report back if I get any more info.

Thanks johnzx, i don´t know about you, but living in Spain you are supposed to know about these things,  if your a native fine , but a outsider coming to live here how re you supposed to know 12 years down the line living here still finding things out, 

Nitram:  Any restrictions would be shown on the  DL,   so not complicated, as long as one reads their DL.

I met Terry this morning.  He was  a great example of a very fit, alert man. He had passed the UK Advanced Motorist test and had driven heavy goods vehicles as well as cars, and driven extensively in Spain.

I went with him to the medical centre.  He explained that not last time, but the time before, when he went for the test, the woman who carried it out was agitated with phone calls;   She did the eyesight test on just one eye and no other tests.   The restrictions which were imposed then, were carried over onto his new DL this year.

When I pressed the point that this a fit man, who now could in effect not drive anywhere, and not in UK when he was on holiday, was being restricted  because of a misunderstanding.  I did not say because of their gross incompetence. 

They said to contest the restrictions he must go to another test centre and take a test. If that test proved OK then he could make an appointment with Trafico ,  where he would be seen by a senior medical officer, who would reassess the case.

Of course, when he gets the appointment for Trafico,   he cannot drive there as it is more than  20 K from his home!    I have offered to take him.

I will report back.

Terry has an appointment with Trafico for 9th Feb.

He has not taken another medical exam as advised,  but believes Trafico will test him. I doubt that but I will report back after tomorrow when I know how he got on.