Starting January 1, 2025, Spain mandates the V-16 beacon in vehicles to safely signal breakdowns or accidents. Jorge Costas, one of its promoters and a former Civil Guard, dismisses rumors of personal enrichment and emphasizes its role in preventing deadly run-overs. The geolocated device, connected to the DGT, stems from an idea over 20 years old inspired by road tragedies.
The V-16 signal, a yellow intermittent light placed on the vehicle roof, becomes mandatory on January 1, 2025, for Spain's 32 million cars, excluding motorcycles and special vehicles. Developed by two Galician Civil Guards, including Jorge Costas (Vigo, 43), the idea emerged over two decades ago to prevent drivers from exiting in adverse conditions like rain or cold.
The final push came after a friend's accident that cost her both legs while placing emergency triangles. "Each year, around 100 people die run over on Spanish roads, many while placing triangles. It's the only road fatality aspect not decreasing in years," states Costas, now on leave.
Backed by victims' groups like AVATA in León and car brands offering it as a promotion, initial prototypes were basic lights. In 2018, after the government change, the DGT added mobile connectivity for geolocation, approved on March 16, 2021. Now, 270 models are homologated, with a 12-year battery and activation only via a red button, avoiding constant data transmission to protect privacy and work without coverage.
Costas denies enrichment: each unit costs over 20 euros in components like SIM and GPS. He criticizes the DGT's poor communication of benefits, such as alerts on panels and navigators. "It's hard to hear testimonies from victims who suffered amputations placing triangles," he concludes, urging focus on lives saved over favoritism suspicions.
