The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), led by Pere Navarro, has sparked controversy with a recent radio advertisement referencing religious symbols commonly found in Spanish vehicles. The campaign promotes the V16 emergency beacon and has been criticized for its tone toward Catholic drivers who hang medals, crucifixes or rosaries from their rearview mirrors.
In the 20-second spot, the DGT acknowledges that some drivers feel safer with a religious medal in their car, but says practical roadside safety depends on carrying and using the V16 beacon. The device combines a flashing yellow light visible through 360 degrees with a connected function that sends the vehicle’s location to the DGT 3.0 platform. Its light is designed to operate for at least 30 minutes and, in favorable conditions, be visible from about one kilometer.
The safety rationale is to warn approaching traffic while reducing the need for a stranded driver to walk along the road to place warning triangles. The beacon should be kept charged and accessible, such as in the glove compartment, then placed at the highest practical point on the vehicle, preferably the roof. Its connected alert notifies the DGT that a vehicle is stopped; it does not automatically call emergency services or provide two-way communication. Occupants must still call 112 in an emergency.
Some have viewed the campaign’s wording as dismissive of personal beliefs. Critics argue that the DGT could have promoted the V16 beacon without referencing or appearing to mock religious practices. The debate comes as the beacon itself faces scrutiny, with some calling its rollout problematic and questioning its effectiveness in real-world situations.
This is not the first time the DGT’s approach to the V16 beacon has been challenged. Earlier concerns focused on the system’s practicality and authorities’ ability to respond to beacon alerts. The Guardia Civil, for example, has previously warned that staffing shortages make it difficult to address the high volume of V16 alerts, as detailed in a recent report on the operational challenges facing the V16 emergency response plan.
Since 1 January 2026, an approved connected V16 beacon has been the legally recognized device for signaling an immobilized vehicle on the road, replacing warning triangles for covered vehicle categories: passenger cars, buses, flexible mixed vehicles and goods-transport vehicles. A flashing light alone is not enough: the model must meet approval requirements and have connectivity and geolocation capability to transmit its location to DGT 3.0. Older, non-connected V16 models do not meet the definitive standard.
Road-safety guidance puts the penalty for carrying no compliant beacon, or carrying one without the required connectivity or geolocation, at up to €80. That is distinct from the penalty for failing to signal an immobilized vehicle, which can reach €200. The obligation concerns the physical beacon kept in the vehicle; a digital traffic alert such as the V27 does not replace it.
The DGT’s campaign highlights the ongoing tension between public safety initiatives and respect for individual traditions. The agency presents the V16 as a way to improve visibility and alert traffic infrastructure, but the device does not itself summon emergency responders. The debate so concerns both the campaign’s handling of religious symbols and the practical limits of the technology it promotes.
Spain has a long tradition of drivers displaying religious items in their vehicles, often as a sign of faith or for a sense of protection during travel. By drawing attention to this practice, the DGT’s campaign has opened a debate about the intersection of safety regulations and cultural customs. As the connected beacon becomes standard equipment, the discussion is likely to continue, particularly as authorities seek to balance effective communication with sensitivity to personal beliefs.
