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In conjunction with...
Issue 15 - 2,00€
EXPO TORREVIEJA . 999 . NEW SPEED LIMITS? . KEY WARNINGS . CAR CRIME RISES . TYRE CHECKS . THE DUTCH REACH . AND MUCH, MUCH, MORE
All of the traffic law related articles published on the n332.es website throughout 2017 N332.es
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Welcome to N332 RoadWatch Welcome to the latest edition of N332 RoadWatch. We have had a few busy months over summer, hence the delay in this issue. The reason will become clear very soon, but to give you a bit of an idea, in December a new eBook will be launched which will not only answer all of your driving questions, it will also be free! We have still been active in the community, as you can see from our first feature in this edition, when we were at the very successful, “Expo Torrevieja”. Thousands of people attended with many coming to our stand, mostly with one question needing clearing up, the one about driving on roundabouts. We also had a lot of forms and documents with us, which were very popular, some of which you can still download from the dedicated page on the website at www.n332.es/documents In this edition we pay close attention to tyres and tyre safety, but also on eco stickers which, although not mandatory as such, are very much needed in parts of Spain. We also answer some of the most popular questions sent into us, such as whether dialling 999 works in Spain, it doesn’t by the way, and many more features from the website all brought together in this concise little digital publication. That’s enough of an introduction from the editorial team, we will leave you to browse through the pages and enjoy this edition. As we are about to go out on the road giving presentations again, we look forward to meeting with many of you through the winter. For now, enjoy this edition and stay safe.
Please don´t copy any part of this publication because it is protected by copyright law. Copyright © 2018 Mark Nolan and N332.es All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” to the email address, news@n332.es.
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N332 at the Expo Torrevieja Members of N332 were at the Expo Torrevieja this month, answering questions and doubts about driving in Spain. The exhibition was held in the International Auditorium in Torrevieja on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st of October. The event, which is set to be repeated twice a year, is free to get in and offers a wide range of goods and services from local businesses, as well as a special area dedicated to community groups and associations. Members of N332 were on hand throughout the weekend at our stand, kindly donated to us by the organisers.
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Check Your Keys!
As cars get more advanced, the technology sometimes replaces manual tasks normally performed by the driver, which sometimes takes away the element of apparent responsibility and the need for vigilance. Although the keys to the vehicle may not fall into that risk category, there are other problems associated with them that we have to be aware of. In recent weeks, we have seen a number of occasions where children have been locked inside vehicles. On each occasion, the child had to be rescued by fire fighters and was uninjured by the ordeal. However, particularly in the summer months, each of these incidents could have had a much more serious outcome. Some modern vehicles warn the driver to remove the key from the ignition before leaving. This includes carrying seemingly simple operations such as filling up with fuel with the vehicle. There is also another risk associated with newer cars which has been identified by security experts.
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Some cars no longer have a traditional key to allow access and to start the vehicle, but rather a remote control ‘fob’. This simplifies the operation for owners, but has been identified as a potential risk as some technologically savvy thieves have been able to clone them and then take the car unhindered. This cloning has sometimes been carried out at the owner’s home, when the fob has been left near to a door for example, and the thieves have been able to use equipment to scan whilst outside the property, copy the information from the fob and take a vehicle without alerting the property occupants. The thief’s transmitter pings the car’s locking system, impersonating the vehicle’s key. The locking system responds, sending a signal which the key fob is supposed to pick up. The thief who sent the original ping forwards the response to a second thief who is near the house. The second thief then forwards the response to the key fob which then relays back the correct response, which then works its way through the mini network back to the first thief’s equipment and onto the car, which then unlocks the doors and allows the engine to start. In order to avoid this, much like traditional key warnings, the advice is to always keep the fob far away from doors, windows or other easily accessible locations, storing it well out of reach of prying equipment. Traditional keys were often kept in bowls or on hooks near a front door, with the thieves able to fish them out by hooks through the letterbox. The same warnings still apply, but the fishing technique has evolved. Keep your keys safe at all times, away from thieves and children, they are your responsibility and they are literally the ‘key’ to your possession that nobody should be allowed to access.
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Can I Dial 999 to Summon Help in Spain? There are many questions we come across on a regular basis which have become embedded in popular culture, shared through social networks, like the bar and pub of old, and the internet sites of new, and have become firmly fixed in many a people's mind. But that belief can also have potentially serious consequences, if the information is wrong. Can I Dial 999 to summon the emergency services in Spain? NO! The European emergency number is 112. Please get that number firmly embedded in your mind, 112. It is true that if you have a UK mobile phone, even without credit or contract, it can be used in an emergency, but if you're in a European country (not the UK), the number which works is 112. All mobile operators are committed to ensuring that emergency contact is available, irrespective of if you have credit. You may, on occasion, have seen your phone status saying something like, "Emergency Only". If you try to phone your mum to ask her to warm your spaghetti hoops up because you're "starving", that's not a real emergency and your phone won't work if in emergency mode. But if you are in serious need of assistance, dialling 112 will put you through to the emergency operators, who do speak English in Spain by the way.
Similarly, many smartphones have a locked function to protect our data. That locked function can often be bypassed in an emergency, but only for summoning help. If you are in Spain, or any other European country, the number to remember is 112. Repeat with us, "in an emergency, dial 112", and forget what you may have heard about that other three digit number.
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Reduced Speed Limits and More Radars Promised Following a tragic summer on the roads of Spain, another disappointing buck to the trend of reducing fatalities, it is becoming increasingly clear to the DGT that a lack or responsible action by drivers can only be combated through further enforcement. The Director General of Traffic, Pere Navarro, is making it very clear, that the only way of dealing with the growing problem is by forcing more responsible driving and, for those still not prepared to slow down, more chance of them being hit in the pocket through fines. During the latest meeting of the Road Safety Commission of the Congress, Pere Navarro has proposed to unify at 90 kilometres per hour maximum speed limit on all secondary or conventional roads, as these roads are the location for the majority of serious and fatal incidents, in fact some 76% of all fatalities are on this type of road. Currently, on roads with a hard shoulder of 1.5 metres or more, the limit is currently 100 kilometres per hour. Slowing down secondary roads is not a new project, Pere Navarro himself acknowledged that his predecessors had tried without success. We are one of the few countries in Europe (along with Romania, Poland, Ireland, Germany, and Austria) with the highest limit is 100 kilometres per hour. In most European countries, the maximum limit is 90, and some it is 80 kilometres per hour. However, to demonstrate that this measure works, Pere Navarro gave France as an example, where after three consecutive years of increase in deaths, after the lowering of the maximum limit to 80 kilometres per hour, the number of incidents was reduced by 8.4 percent in May, 9.3 in June, and 5.5 in July. However, reducing maximum permitted speed limits is only successful if drivers then abide by the change. Still, one of the leading contributing factors to road traffic incidents, one of the #Fatal4, is inappropriate speed. Therefore, along with a reduction in limits, additional enforcement is also promised. Whilst still feeling the need to apologise, Pere Navarro suggested increasing the number of radars for speed control. "Sorry, but it is the only way we have," he said, before comparing the 7,200 devices in the United Kingdom and 4,000 in France, with just 1,000 in Spain. He already promised this action upon resuming his duties at the DGT, "if we want to advance in road safety we have to increase the number of radars".
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Such increases require investment of course, which is one of the benefits of those already caught, who may not be aware that such devices as radars are self funding, with money raised through fines in Spain being invested in such devices and other road safety initiatives. As for the quantity, as Pere Navarro used France as an example, to match the number of radars per capita, Spain would need over a thousand more radars, to being the total up to 2,800. Using the UK as a comparison, Spain would have to increase the number of radars to 5,200. The country with the highest rate of radars per million inhabitants is Belgium with 206, Finland with 169 and Sweden with 135. Currently, Spain with just 19 per million inhabitants is way down that list, although the figure doesn’t include the mobile units operated by the DGT and local and regional police.
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Driving in Rain
Changes in the weather provides significant risk to road users, and so our driving must be adapted at all times. Rain is one of the biggest contributors to weather related incidents. In Spain, long, dry periods are often followed by significant rainfall. In the first rainfall after a dry spell, the roads are particularly hazardous, as water falls onto the dust and surface coating on the road, creating extremely poor adhesion in places. Plus, drainage systems are not always able to cope with the immediacy of the downpour, and so roads become flooded, particularly in dips which are designed to control the flow of water. When driving in wet weather, slow down and allow extra distance between you and the car in front. This will mean that you should allow extra time for your journey, or be prepared to arrive late. It is far better to arrive late, than not at all. Movements should be slow and steady, not harsh, to ensure your tyres are able to maintain as much grip as possible, and if you think you or your vehicle are not prepared to drive in wet conditions, then don´t. Windscreen wipers and headlights will allow for better visibility, not only for you, but other road users too. Take care, take it easy and take it slow.
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Do You Know the Latest Changes to Traffic Law? In a world in which we have to adapt to technological advances which are developing at an alarming rate, traffic laws also have to change constantly to keep up with many of these advances. Not only that, roads appear to be becoming more deadly, with a once declining trend in deaths and serious injuries, these now seem to be on the increase again, and so governments must act, as if education hasn´t worked, enforcement is the only option. What changes have been implemented this year so far? What can we expect soon? These questions, and others are answered in the latest presentation by the N332 team, who are starting touring the local area with the Road Safety Roadshow. Between now and the spring, we are planning our visits to various social and community groups to give a talk on road safety. If you represent a group, and can get at least 50 people together (more is better) at your local venue, then get in touch if you would like us to add you to our schedule. We already have some bookings for the season, and are talking with other group representatives, but we are always happy to visit more. If you are interested, send us an email to news@n332.es and we can start the process and add you to our schedule. By the way, this is a new presentation again for 2018/2019, and so if we have visited you in the past, we are happy to return, just get in touch with us again. This season we are also pleased to be supported by Spain´s leading property sales and rental company, Casas Espania, who are providing the vehicles that enable our volunteers to visit the locations. Click the link to learn more about them. We look forward to visiting you this autumn and winter period, and updating you on the latest changes.
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New Motor Fuel Labels
In October, Spain joined in the new European Fuel Labelling Standard, which means that motor fuel pumps and new vehicles will have different labels attached, labels aimed at making it easier for consumers to choose the correct type of fuel for their vehicle. As before, the labels will be grouped into three principal categories, what we would know now as petrol, diesel, and others, such as gas. European Standard EN 16942 aims to provide information to consumers on the compatibility between their vehicles and the fuels available at the pump. The standard ensures that a fuel identification label be placed close to the nozzle as well as on the nozzle itself, and these labels will be standardised across the continent. The three categories will each have a unique shape of label, which is then broken down into the different compatibility types.
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The labels are: Petrol: Petrol-type fuels have the letter E as a symbol and a number corresponding to the percentage of the maximum ethanol content. The symbol is a circle, displaying E5, E10 and E85. Diesel: Diesel type fuels have the letter B as symbol and a number corresponding to the maximum Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME), or biodiesel content. The symbol is square, displaying B7, B10 and XTL. Gas: A diamond symbol displaying H2 (hydrogen), CNG (compressed natural gas), LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and LNG (liquefied natural gas). The last category of “alternative” fuels means fuels or power sources which serve, at least partly, as a substitute for fossil oil sources in the fuel supply to transport and which have the potential to contribute to its decarbonisation and enhance the environmental performance of the transport sector. However, for most drivers at the moment, the former two are the most important, and although the pumps for petrol and diesel will still be clearly defined, you will now be more aware of exactly what sort of tiger you´re putting into your tank.
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Vehicle Thefts Out of Control The theft of a motor vehicle is one of the most distressing and costly losses that an owner can suffer, not only because of the fact it can affect anybody, but because it can happen at any time and at any place. Like most countries, the theft of a vehicle is not considered a priority by the security services, not because of a lack of desire to investigate and penalise those involved, but largely because of a lack of resources available and other priorities taking over, and the number of incidents taking place on a regular basis. According to sources at the Ministry of the Interior, in 2017 more than 42,000 vehicles were stolen in Spain, a total which translates to 116 every day. Statistically, some 28 percent of vehicle thefts are detected, the vehicles returned to their lawful owners and suspects dealt with, but that sadly leaves 72 percent undetected. Most of the offences are by organised groups, who then ship and sell the vehicles abroad with false registration and documentation. Despite the majority of crimes being organised, it is not only high end vehicles which are the subject of theft. In fact, all types of vehicles and models are affected, and, despite those stolen to order, the thieves usually do not have too many objections to stealing any vehicle they have at their disposal regardless of the model or brand. N332.es
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Vehicle Thefts Out of Control Cars and vans are not the only vehicles at risk. Motorbikes are too. As a result, more owners are opting to purchase modern anti-theft systems for their motorcycles. These anti-theft devices are often in the form of an anchor device that guarantees the motorcycle will not move from the place where it is left and, therefore, effectively prevents the theft by a third party . That said, it is often victims of this type of theft who later turn to devices for their subsequent replacement vehicle, as they don’t want to go through a similar experience ever again, a situation which could have been avoided if the devices were installed in the first place. Despite the concerning figures that only one out of every four stolen vehicles are recovered, it is still a necessity to report vehicle theft to the authorities. Reporting is essential for an investigation to begin and to prevent traffic infractions or even crimes committed with the vehicle from pointing to the lawful and innocent owner. The only advice is to always ensure that your vehicle is locked with nothing on value on show. If you have one, always keep vehicles in garages or install anti-theft systems. As well as traditional alarms and anti-theft devices, there are also more modern devices such as those which monitor the vehicle’s location by GPS, and link to smartphones apps. The app can be alerted to such movements as the vehicle being taken at certain times or from certain places, and even if the vehicle travels to different areas or above a certain speed, thus also allowing monitoring of driving of family members for example. Keep your vehicle locked and secure, and if the worst case does happen, report it as soon as possible.
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What is the environmental badge? The Environmental badge is a sticker which is affixed on the inside of the car’s windscreen, which aims to give an indication of the amount of pollutants the vehicle emits. This measure aims to positively discriminate towards more environmentally respectful vehicles and be an effective tool in municipal policies, both in restricting traffic which causes high pollution, and through the promotion of new technologies through tax or relative benefits to the mobility and the environment.
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The Classifications: There are four classifications in the national vehicle register of the DGT based on environmental concerns. ZERO EMISSIONS Mopeds, tricycles, quadricycles and motorcycles; cars; light vans, vehicles over 8 seats and vehicles transporting goods classified in the Register of Vehicles of the DGT as battery electric vehicles (BEV), electric vehicles with extended range (REEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) with a minimum range of 40 kilometres or fuel cell vehicles. ECO Cars, light vans, vehicles over 8 seats and vehicles transporting goods classified in the Register of Vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles with less than 40km autonomy, none plug -in hybrid vehicles (HEV) powered by natural gas, vehicles powered by natural gas (CNG and LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In any case, they must meet the criteria of the label C. C Petrol fuelled passenger cars and light vans registered from January 2006 and diesel vehicles from 2014. Those with more than 8 seats and freight, both petrol and diesel, registered from 2014. Diesel vehicles must meet the Euro 4,5 and 6 standard. B Petrol passenger cars and light vans registered from January 2000 and diesel vehicles registered from January 2006. Vehicles with more than 8 seats and freight both petrol and diesel registered from 2005. Diesel vehicles must meet Euro 3 and Euro Diesel 4 and 5 standards.
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How and Why You Should Obtain your Eco Sticker Although obtaining and displaying the Eco Badge is voluntary, it is becoming less of a choice on account of the benefits, as cities and towns start to use the classification to reduce pollution causing congestion. Early in October, Madrid restricted access to parts of the city, preventing more polluting vehicles from entering, with only those displaying the ecofriendly badge allowed access, or a charge was levied on the vehicle owner, think of it more of a congestion charge, rather than a fine. It is also becoming a requirement in order to sell your vehicle through some companies, and so the need is certainly increasing without mandatory enforcement. The origin of the labels resides in the National Air Quality Plan 2013-2016. Its purpose is to classify vehicles according to the pollution they are emitting. Their purchase is possible at any post office, although you may have to wait a while depending on your vehicle due to the high demand. In order to obtain your eco sticker, you have to go to the post office with the
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How and Why You Should Obtain your Eco Sticker vehicle's registration certificate, the license plate number and ID of the owner or the authorisation of the owner if you are obtaining it on their behalf. The national vehicle database will be able to ascertain whether your vehicle is suitable for one of the four categories, Zero emissions, Eco, C and B. You can also check the categorisation yourself by entering the registration number on the website set up by the DGT. Once you have your sticker you then have to put it in the correct place on the windscreen, which , according to the DGT, is the lower right corner of the front windshield, as you’re looking out, so the ITV would be at the top right, the eco sticker at the bottom right. If this is not possible, any visible site is accepted, but may cause problems if it is not in the exact or visible location where observers
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‘White Stick’ Variations We might already be aware that if we see a person holding or walking carrying a long, white stick that it indicates the person has visibility problems, but did you know there are variations and different colours. Green stick - Person with visual impairment: Poor vision. White stick - Person with visual disability: Blindness. Red and white striped stick: Deaf and blind person. Caution should always be exercised near pedestrians, but those using these sticks, or assistance animals, should be afforded even greater care. The sticks and dogs are used to assist them in navigating their way around their otherwise restrictive world, but they also serve as an indication to others of their particular impairment.
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European Tyre Safety Ratings
In 2012, the European Union made moves to implement new rules on the labelling of tyres for sale. Much like washing machines or fridges, and even properties for sale, an easy indication of the tyre´s characteristics would be displayed on the label, enabling the buyer to choose their product based on such elements as efficiency, safety rating and noise. The information on the tyre label included roll resistance, graded from “A” which is the best performance, to a “G” rating, the lower end of the scale in tests. Tyres with a higher resistance increase the workload of the engine, in turn leading to higher fuel costs. Adherence to wet surfaces was also a graded factor on the label, once again graded “A” to “G”, with “A” showing the best performance. Across the spectrum of the rating scale, the braking distance between a grade “A” and a grade “G” tyre may be as much as 18 metres, significantly reducing the chance of avoiding a collision in the event of having to brake in wet weather. Of course, driving skills and ability can also allow for more compensation by increasing the distance between you and the vehicle in front, for example. Noise level is also included in the tyre rating, again, this can be determined by other factors such as the road itself. In many places, so called “quiet tarmac” has been installed to reduce noise, but the tyre noise rating is based on an average. When buying new tyres, always check the labelling system to ensure you know the quality of the tyres to be installed on your vehicle. Poor quality may increase risk and with tyre safety, compromise if not an ideal agenda.
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Tyre Safety Checks We Can All Do Tyres are arguably one of the most important elements of a vehicle; however they are often so easily neglected, despite the abuse they can face on a regular basis. On a daily basis they are worn down through normal use, have to withstand heat and cold and are often bashed by potholes and kerbs, it is no real surprise that they can become easily damaged. It is for that reason that we must educate ourselves to pay more attention to our tyres, so that we can get the best out of them, and the safest driving experience possible. It is important that our tyres have sufficient tread to enable them to maintain contact with the road surface in any weather conditions. The grooves in the tyres are used to displace surface content to ensure the tyres grip the road, and so it is only if there is enough of a gap for that surface material, water for example, to go into that the tyres remain efficient. The minimum tread depth of a tyre is 1.6 millimetres across the central ž of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing at 3 millimetres. At 1.6 millimetres in wet weather it takes an extra two car lengths (8 metres) to stop at 50 mph than if your tread was 3 millimetres. Over or under inflated tyres will cause uneven wear and so the tread might also be uneven, possibly deeper on one side than the other. We can and should check the tyres on a regular basis to ensure that they are at their optimum inflation and with consistent tread. We need to get close to the tyre and look at each one of them separately. Firstly, we can feel around each tyre with our hands, including the sides, feeling for anything that doesn´t seem correct, such as bubbling or even items protruding from the tyre. It is possible for example for a tyre to contain a nail but the nail is plugging the hole it has made and so deflation can be very slow, despite this potentially dangerous situation.
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As we look around each tyre we should also check the tread. If the tyre is under inflated then there may be more wear towards he edges of the tyres. If a tyre is over inflated there could be more wear in the centre. As we work our way around the tyre we should also look within the tread pattern for ridges between the tread. These are called the Principle Grooves and are indicators of tyre wear. We should check each tyre individually, including the spare, to make sure that the tread wear is consistent and sufficient. We should also check the tyre pressure, although we may have to go to a local service station to do this. Most modern vehicles have a plate stuck to them, often on or near the door, which indicated the optimum pressure under normal driving conditions. If not, you might have to check your manual. You should always check tyre pressure when they are cold. The tyres themselves also contain a series of numbers and letters which reveals a wealth of technical information. The tyres your vehicle is fitted with are registered on your ITV card, although you can change them for another size with a tolerance up to 3% from the size you have on your ITV card. If you look at the side of the tyre you will see a sequence which looks something like this sample, “195 / 55 R 16 87V”. Here, “195” refers to 195 millimetres, the nominal section width of the tyre. “55” is 55%, the aspect ratio, representing the height of the tyre sidewall as a percentage of the nominal section width, i.e., in our case, 55% of 195mm. “R” stands for radial construction. “16” is the diameter of the tyre´s inner rim, this time in inches. “87” is the load capacity of the tyre. “V” indicates the maximum permitted speed. Another code stamped onto the tyre reveals the month and year of manufacture. For example, a code “4108” indicates that the tyre was manufactured in week 41 of the year 2008. There are many cheap tyres on offer for sale which, when you look closely, might well be very old tyres. This is something to be very conscious of, especially as the recommendations are that tyres should be replaced at least every 5 years, so you might not be aware that you are replacing your tyres with those already older than the recommendation.
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Tyre Safety Checks We Can All Do Because of the importance of tyres and the functions they perform, it is always worthwhile spending that little extra effort, time and even money to ensure they are correct. Garages like Autos Direct in San Miguel will be able to check your tyres for you, if you have any doubt, and can recommend any remedial action you might need to take. However, it is also crucial that we each perform the basic checks mentioned here on a regular basis, at least monthly and every time before a long journey to ensure our vehicles are safe and at optimum performance for fuel efficiency. There is a video on the website, n332.es, which shows how to check your tyres and the different elements explained above.
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Tyre Load Capacity Knowing how to read a tyre forms part of the driving test in Spain, which is testament to how important the DGT feel the subject is. Tyres are arguably amongst the most important elements of a vehicle, and often the most abused, but sadly, they are often the most neglected. It is important that the vehicle´s tyres are of a high quality, not least because of the wear and tear they suffer, investing that little bit more in a tyre could make the difference between life and death. f you look at the side of the tyre you will see a sequence which looks something like this sample, “195 / 55 R 16 87V”. Here, “195” refers to 195 millimetres, the nominal section width of the tyre. “55” is 55%, the aspect ratio, representing the height of the tyre sidewall as a percentage of the nominal section width, i.e., in our case, 55% of 195mm. “R” stands for radial construction. “16” is the diameter of the tyre´s inner rim, this time in inches. “87” is the load capacity of the tyre. “V” indicates the maximum permitted speed. There is also the stamp indicating the week number and the year of manufacture. Keep in mind, it is quite common for the family car to be loaded up for a long journey cross country, perhaps even across the continent, and the amount of cargo, as well as passengers, often increases compared to our normal daily commute. That is why we have to ensure that the load capacity of the tyre can handle the extra weight we place in the vehicle. Overloaded vehicles quite literally weigh down on the tyres which can increase the risk of uneven wear and the dangers that poses, but also hugely increases the risk of a “blow out”, which in turn could have fatal consequences. Sadly, for the average driver, they don´t make it too simple for us to immediately see what the load
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Tyre Load Capacity capacity is, as the number in the code needs to be converted to a weight. In our example, 87V, the tyres can carry a maximum load of 545 kilograms. Keep in mind though, this is the total maximum weight of the vehicle. It also shows why it is important that all the tyres on the vehicle match, as if they are different, the load capacity may be lower. In our example, the letter “V� refers to a maximum speed of 240 kilometres per hour, but speed limits must be maintained by the road and conditions, rather than the maximum that the tyres can endure.
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The ‘Dutch Reach’ Makes Opening Doors Safer for All The Highway Code, the basic driving manual for the United Kingdom, is to have a new instruction added which aims to offer more protection to vulnerable road users such as cyclists. Known as the ‘Dutch Reach’, the new instruction ensures a safer method of opening a vehicle’s doors, ensuring greater observation opportunities, and therefore a safer method. The technique originated in The Netherlands, and was in fact part of the driving test, forces vehicle occupants to turn as they open the door, which allows them to then look behind at the same time. In order to practice the method, we basically open the vehicle’s doors using the opposite hand to where the door is. So, for example, if we are sat in the driving seat of a left-hand drive car as here in Spain, we will reach over to the door handle with our right arm. As we do this, notice how your body turns. As our body turns we can then look forward as normal, checking the rear view mirror as our line of sight passes, and then look over our left shoulder through our ‘blind spot’, to make sure that it is safe to open the door before we do. Now, we have a greater opportunity to see cyclists which we may have missed, or other approaching vehicles of course. The same process applies if we are sat in the passenger seat, on the right, although now we are using our left hand to open the door, and can look for other road users who may be approaching, including pedestrians. Another benefit of this method is that the opening of the door is then also restricted by our movement, that is to say that if the door is caught by a gust of wind for example, then it will not blow open as easily, as our opposing arm length would restrict it. When you are out in a car, irrespective of where you are sitting, front or back, left or right, please try the ‘Dutch Reach’ and make the roads a little safer for all.
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The hospitals Quirónsalud Torrevieja and Quirónsalud Valencia, awarded with the Top-20 awards
THE HOSPITAL QUIRÓNSALUD TORREVIEJA HAS RECEIVED THE TOP20 AWARD IN THE CATEGORY OF GLOBAL HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT AND THE HOSPITAL QUIRÓNSALUD VALENCIA HAS RECEIVED THE AWARD IN THE AREA OF NERVIOSO.
The hospitals Quirónsalud Torrevieja and Quirónsalud Valencia have been awarded a total of two prizes in the nineteenth edition of the TOP 20. The awards, received in different categories, recognize the work of these centres for their global hospital management and by different clinical areas. Specifically, the Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja received the Top 20 award in the category of Global Hospital Management, while the Hospital Quirónsalud Valencia received the award in the Area of Nervioso. The award for Global Hospital Management is granted to "those hospitals with the best balance of results in all clinical areas and processes and in the rest of the activity, introducing efficiency indicators along with those of quality and adequacy". The TOP 20 Hospital Program, which is responsible for IASIST, offers comparative results for 30 care processes in 8 clinical areas, "providing a very detailed knowledge of the results achieved by the professionals of the participating hospitals, pointing out the best values obtained in similar hospitals of the setting. " The objective of the TOP 20 Program is to identify good practice patterns (benchmarks) and recognize the work of those centres that have obtained the best results in the evaluation process.
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