Driving in Spain.

Contrary to what you may see on the roads in Spain, driving here is NOT:
1. Just like the UK but on the other side,
2. A free-for-all with no rules, or rules to be ignored if you're local.

The Guardia Civil and police can and do enforce traffic regulations, and can really spoil your holiday.

Inspired by Brian Deller's excellent "Motoring in Spain", this site tells you what the traffic laws are in Spain. Unlike the UK Highway Code, they are not guidelines, they are fixed... and to be obeyed.

Most Spanish road traffic law is contained in the LSV (Ley de Seguridad Vial), on which is based the RGC (Reglamentación General de Circulación) which also has the force of law. Allied to this is the RGV (Reglamentación General de Vehículos) which covers construction and use of motor vehicles.

This site is still under construction and will be quite large (over 170 articles for the RGC alone). The best place to start is the RGC index and the glossary. The RGV, and LSV will be added later when translation has been checked.

Friday 13 July 2007

Overtaking on roads with several lanes

Article 83. Overtaking on roads with several lanes.
1. On roads that have at least two lanes reserved for traffic in the given direction, a driver who is going to overtake again may remain in the lane used for the previous overtake on condition that it is done without illegal annoyance to drivers of vehicles behind travelling faster.
2. When the density of traffic is such that vehicles occupy all lanes and can travel at a speed depending on the vehicle in front in that lane, the fact that traffic may travel faster in one lane than another is not considered overtaking. In this situation, no driver will have to change lane to overtake or to carry out any other maneuver that is not in preparation to turn right or left, to leave the road or to take a certain direction.
3. On all sections of road in which acceleration or deceleration lanes exist or lanes or parts of the road exclusively destined for certain vehicles, overtaking will not be considered to happen where traffic moves more quickly in them than in the normal lanes, or vice versa.
4. Infractions of this Article are considered serious offences (LST Art 65.4.c).

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