Blue Lights in 2018

Having followed the process from the beginning, we are now able to report that the mandatory referendum on all emergency services to display flashing blue lights has received unanimous positive support through the legislative process.

Listen to this article

As the process will now continue to proceed and, if all still goes to plan, blue lights (Rotativos azules to give them their Spanish name) will enter into service on ambulances and fire tenders from March, 2018.

Traditionally, only the security services such as the Guardia Civil and police would use blue lights when operating as priority vehicles, with ambulances, fire and other priority vehicles using orange lights, the same as slow moving or special vehicles, which some drivers found confusing.

This is not the first time this move has been announced. The change had already been approved by previous congressional committees, in 2006, 2010 and 2011, but had not been previously implemented. More recently, in 2016, the Spanish Government voted 37 votes in favour, with 2 abstentions. Spain was the only European country which had not adopted the standard.