Going on vacation to Spain? What you need to know about the traffic rules

Sand goes on vacation to Spain and drive your car, know that there is some different rules for walking on the roads. This is despite the fact that, in general, the regulations are very similar between the two neighbouring countries – because they are both of the European Union.

In response to Minute Auto, the Real Automobile Club of Spain (RACE) explained: “The transit rules in Spain and Portugal are very similar, then a portuguese driver you won't find great differences when driving in Spain. Both countries share most of their road safety regulation as it is harmonised under EU law.”.

However, according to the Spanish car club, there are some nuances to take into account:

• Speed limits: As a general rule, they are “120 km/h on motorways and dual fast roads, 90 km/h on conventional roads and 20, 30 or 50 km/h on urban areas, depending on the road”.
• Alcohol and substances: In this regard, says the RACE, “Spain has particularly strict rules on alcohol and drug use”. Thus, the limits are lower than the Portuguese: 0.3 grams/litre of blood (0.15 mg/l in expired air) for new and professional drivers and 0.5 g/l (0.25 mg/l in expired air) for drivers in general. For substances, “the presence of drugs incompatible with driving is also penalized“.
• Mobile phone, safety belts and restraint systems: As in Portugal, using your mobile phone while driving is forbidden, even if you are standing at a red light or in a traffic line, but hand-free systems are allowed. Common to both countries, it is also mandatory to use child restraint systems and seat belts.
• Signalling device: Since 1 January, Spanish motorists with cars registered in the country are not required to use the triangle to signal an incident or malfunction – only the V-16 signaling beacon, connected to the services to warn the authorities and to alert other road panels to a situation. So you might find, for example, a broken car without the signage by the triangle. But cars from Portugal and other countries may continue to use the triangle and are not obliged to the new device.
• Bus-VAO Tracks: In certain cities of Spain, there are tracks reserved for high-occupancy vehicles and buses (Bus-VAO). They should only be used by vehicles with the minimum number of occupants checked (usually two or more) according to the section. There are also areas that can be used by clean vehicles and motorcycles, such as emergency services. Before entering a Bus-VAO lane, you must confirm that you can with the signaling on site.
• Monitoring: In Spain, the authorities have at their disposal radars such as in Portugal (fixed, mobile, in police vehicles and medium speed), in addition to Pegasus helicopters and even drones – which are mainly used to detect risk behaviors and maneuvers.

The RACE also gives advice to enjoy a safe trip: “Plan the journey, check the condition of the vehicle before leaving, follow the traffic rules and avoid anything that can distract attention or increase risk while driving.”.