One of the gates at Naval Station Rota, Spain, in August 2022. The base recently reintroduced a points system to penalize drivers for a range of traffic violations. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. military personnel at a naval base in Spain now face the potential of having their driving privileges suspended for repeated traffic violations.
Naval Station Rota recently reintroduced a traffic system that assigns a point value from two to six for a range of violations, including DUI, not wearing a seat belt or leaving a child in a car unattended.
Drivers who accumulate 12 points within a year or 18 points within two years face suspension of their base driving privileges for six months, according to a July 31 Navy instruction. Serious violations such as DUI or racing include additional punishment, according to the instruction.
Both on-base and off-base offenses are subject to points assessment, NS Rota spokesman Lt. Daniel Ehrlich said Monday. Drivers may also face fines for traffic infractions, he added.
U.S. military installations stateside and overseas govern a variety of traffic-related issues, including vehicle registration and driving and parking laws. At NS Rota, drivers already are subject to traffic enforcement by U.S. and Spanish military police.
The reintroduced system offers a way for the Navy to track those violators and ensure that people stationed there “are staying disciplined and that driving privileges on (and off) the installation are being regulated,” Ehrlich said.
Naval Station Rota, Spain, is reviving its traffic court and points penalties for driving offenses. Defense Department personnel stationed there could lose their licenses if they accumulate too many driving violations. (Facebook/Naval Station Rota)
In addition, a traffic hearings office was reestablished so drivers can challenge point penalties if they believe a ticket was issued unjustly or there are extenuating circumstances related to a violation.
The hearings will take place on the first Wednesday of each month. A start date had not yet been scheduled as of Monday, Ehrlich said.
About 1,300 active-duty U.S. service members are stationed at NS Rota along with 1,700 family members and 400 civilian employees, according to the base’s website.
The joint U.S.-Spanish base on the Atlantic coast provides cargo, fuel and logistics support to units across the region. In addition to three piers, it includes a 670-acre airfield that supports Navy and Air Force aircraft. It is home to five Navy destroyers.
The Navy system at Rota joins parallel Spanish military traffic ticketing procedures already in place. On average, about 10 driving citations are issued to the U.S. military community each month, Navy officials said.
