It is a year and a half since the introduction of the points system for driving licenses, a measure aimed at reducing the carnage on the roads, but in Málaga province it is still only Málaga city itself that is fully applying the system. In 99 municipalities, infringements will generally only result in a fine, no ‘on the spot’ points deduction.
It is a question of access to the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) database where driver information is stored. In Málaga city, traffic management falls under the Ministry of Interior and the Guardia Civil and they are connected to the database. In the municipalities, traffic management is the responsibility of the local councils and the Local Police, and they aren’t currently connected to the database.
At the present moment, for points to be deducted in the municipalities, the Local Police have to file a denuncia with the Guardia Civil. Unless it is a serious infringement, most don’t bother, they just issue a fine.
There are 60 municipalities in which the local councils use the services of the Patronato de Recaudación (Inland Revenue) to administer and collect both taxes and fines. In December 2007, the Patronato de Recaudación de la Diputación signed an agreement with the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico (Provincial Traffic Headquarters) to coordinate their databases to allow for the ‘on the spot’ deduction of license points in the municipalities. All that was then needed was for the individual local councils to approve a new municipal ordinance in plenary session.
So, how many have rushed to do this? Not a one. Not one council has included such a new ordinance in their agendas for plenary session.
Even if all 60 municipal councils who delegate local tax collection to the Patronato de Recaudación do eventually fall into line, there will still be a further 37 municipalities which will remain, as it were, outside the points system. These include Pizarra, Alhaurín el Grande, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos to name but a few.
The municipalities which delegate tax collection and could, if they want, join the system are:
Alameda, Alcaucín, Alfarnate, Algarrobo, Alhaurín de la Torre, Almáchar, Almargen, Almogía, Álora, Alozaina, Archidona, Ardales, Arriate, Benahavís, Benamocarra, Benaójan, El Burgo, Campillos, Canillas de Aceituno, Cañete la Real, Carratraca, Cártama, Casabermeja, Casarabonela, Casares, Coín, Colmenar, Comares, Cómpeta, Cuevas Bajas, Cuevas del Becerro, Cuevas de San Marcos, Estepona, Fuente de Piedra, Gaucín, Guaro, Humilladero, Igualeja, Istán, Iznate, Manilva, Marbella, Moclinejo, Monta, Montecorto, Montejaque, Ojén, Periana, Rincón de la Victoria, Riogordo, Ronda, Sayalonga, Sierra de Yeguas, Teba, Torrox, Vélez-Málaga, Valle de Abdalajís, Villanueva de Algaidas, Villanueva del Rosario, Villanueva del Trabuco, Villanueva de Tapia and Yunquera.