Strict New Driving Rules Target Vulnerable Road Users Across Coastal Towns National traffic authorities enforce strict new road safety regulations prioritising pedestrian right-of-way and cyclist safety across coastal streets from October. Spanish traffic authority DGT rolled out a suite of revised driving regulations on Thursday 1 October, carrying immediate legal implications for international motorists and local drivers across municipal centres on the Costa del Sol. The regulatory updates focus decisively on protecting vulnerable road users, fundamentally reshaping how vehicles interact with pedestrians, people with reduced mobility, cyclists and urban micro-mobility users. Municipal police forces in key urban arteries from Fuengirola and Mijas to Marbella have begun enforcing the changes, with officers instructed to penalise drivers who fail to observe the enhanced safety perimeters. Heightened Pedestrian Rights and Crossing Protocols Among the central pillars of the updated framework is an absolute obligation for drivers to yield at unsignalised pedestrian crossings, extending beyond pedestrians already on the zebra crossing to those clearly indicating an intention to step onto the roadway. The rules also introduce stringent protections for mobility scooters and individuals with sensory impairments, imposing severe financial penalties and points deductions for vehicles blocking tactile paving or drop-kerb ramps. For foreign residents accustomed to different driving conventions, municipal transport officials emphasise that lack of awareness will not be accepted as an excuse. Urban speed thresholds remain strictly monitored, with the 30 km/h and 20 km/h urban street ceilings enacted in recent years now accompanied by heightened penalties for overtaking within designated neighbourhood zones. Micro-Mobility Restrictions and Bicycle Clearance Motorists must also observe stricter protocols when passing cyclists on coastal avenues and interurban links. Drivers must maintain a mandatory minimum clearance of 1.5 metres and fully change lanes when overtaking on dual-lane urban thoroughfares wherever safe to do so. Simultaneously, personal mobility devices such as electric scooters face tighter municipal enforcement, banning them entirely from coastal promenades and pavements unless explicitly authorised by local town hall bylaws. Local driving instructors advise all foreign resident drivers to check that their vehicle registration documentation and digital driving credentials on the official miDGT application reflect current residency addresses to avoid complications during roadside checks.