On October 1, a period of changes for drivers will begin. Royal Decree 518/2026, dated June 24, which modifies the General Traffic Regulation, brings many novelties, including the obligation to yield to pedestrians even when there is no crosswalk.
Another change directly affects parents who must drive their children to school, since traffic flow may be restricted, including parking. And not only near schools.
Not only schools: hospitals and elder care centers will also come under scrutiny
If you are unlucky enough to have to pass daily along the road by a school during peak hours, you’ll know the total chaos. Cars mounted on sidewalks, double-parked at best, on pedestrian crossings or simply stopped in the middle of the street until their occupants get out and enter through the school entrance.
It goes without saying that this behavior is not only deeply uncivil but also very dangerous for students and for any pedestrian. In this sense, the General Traffic Regulation has introduced a novelty that will be in force from October 1, 2026: implementing restrictions on vehicles in school environments.
1. Local councils, or the owners of the roads when they are competent, may establish safe routes or school zones in school surroundings, implementing measures such as speed reduction, traffic calming, or restrictions on motor vehicles and mopeds.
This means that at any moment during entry or exit the police may restrict parking or traffic in episodes of congestion, as well as set a lower speed limit. And not only near schools and school centers:
2. In the vicinity of schools, hospital centers, centers for elderly people or those with disabilities, or similar facilities, specific measures will be implemented regarding speed limits, parking, and any other measure aimed at calming traffic that increases the safety of vulnerable users, either adopting the appropriate urban planning and traffic regulation measures or in accordance with what municipal ordinances establish.
So you know, from October 1 many things will change.
Images | Comunidad de Madrid, Pexels
