Driving in Spain can be an adventure to say the least and can take a bit of getting used to. The best way to deal with this is to be prepared. Learn the rules of the road before you go. Spain is very serious about law enforcement and fines of up to 1,500 euros have to be paid on the spot. Understanding the basic laws concerning driving will help keep you out of trouble. You will find below a list of the basic rules including safety, drink driving and speeding.
There are the obvious differences when driving abroad. Mainly that they drive on the right-hand side of the road. It can take a while to adjust to this initially so please take extra care when you first arrive. Also speed limits are in kilometres per hour and not miles per hour as here in the U.K. You will find the kph dial just inside the mph dial in your British car. The writing is much smaller than you will be used to. You will need to concentrate more initially.
Here are some other things you will also need to know before driving in Spain.
- Take extra care when overtaking. Allow a lot more space between you and the car in front.
- Remember to use your indicators wherever necessary. It is an offence not to do this.
- Spain has a very strict drink driving law. It is a lot less lenient than the U.K. The limit in Spain is 0.5mg of alcohol per 1ml of blood while it is 0.8 in the U.K. New drivers in Spain are forbidden to drive after consuming alcohol. The best advice is don’t drive after drinking alcohol.
- Seat belts must be worn both in the front and rear of the vehicle. There are no exceptions.
- Speed limits must be followed (see below for a list of speed limits). Speed traps are now in frequent use throughout Spain.
- Children in cars – children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit in the front unless using a suitable restraint system e.g. booster seats. Any passenger under 135cm in height travelling in the rear must also adhere to this.
- GB stickers – these do not need to be displayed if you have the new europlates.
- Head lamp converters are compulsory. These are used to prevent you from ‘dazzling’ oncoming traffic. There should be some information in your cars handbook detailing what you require. If not, your local dealer will be able to help. It is not advisable to use black masking tape as it can cause a reduction in visibility at night and can also cause your headlamps to crack due to the build up of heat.
- The minimum age for visitors driving in Spain is 18 providing you hold a full U.K. licence.
- Warning triangles are compulsory. Only one is required for non-spanish cars but 2 are required for Spanish vehicles.
- The use of mobile phones apart from hands-free is prohibited. The use of headphones to listen to your phone or music is also banned.
- Reflective jackets or waistcoats are also compulsory. Carry enough so there is one per person travelling in the vehicle.
- A set of spare light bulbs must be kept in the vehicle.
- If the driver needs to wear spectacles then it is mandatory to carry a spare pair in the vehicle.
- An approved first aid kit also has to be carried in the vehicle.
- A GPS system can be used in the vehicle, see our separate article about their use in Spain.
Motorways and other routes.
There has been a huge road-building programme in Spain in recent years and the motorways (autopistas) are now amongst the best in Europe. Most of these are toll roads (autopistas de peajes) and the charges are quite expensive. This, however, means the motorways are usually fairly quiet, but non-toll roads are busier. If you intend travelling a long distance but need to do so quickly then it is better to use the motorway. On the other hand, if it’s a more leisurely journey you can cut costs by using the duel carriageway roads (autovia). You may find that you have to use single lane roads. They can be busy with HGV vehicles which can really slow you down.
Road Signs
The quality of road signs varies in Spain. Main roads are usually well sign posted, but smaller roads can be of a low standard so it is strongly recommended that you carry with you a large scale map.
Speed Limits
| ROAD TYPE | SPEED* KM/MPH |
|---|
| Toll motorway | 120km/75mph |
| Duel carriageway | 120km/75mph |
| Other roads | 90km/56mph |
| Built up areas | 50km/31mph |
