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.

Thursday 12 July 2007

Priority in the absence of signaling

Article 62. Priority in the absence of signaling.
1. Without prejudice to that which traffic officers can order or, where appropriate, works personnel or support personnel of special vehicles or vehicles in the special transport regime, the priority between the different types of vehicles where one must reverse is as follows:
a) Special vehicles also under the special transport regime of that exceed the masses or dimensions established in the vehicle regulations.
b) Vehicle combinations, except those described in paragraph d).
c) (Animal) draft vehicles.
d) Cars towing trailers of up to 750 kg MAM and motor homes.
e) Vehicles for the collective transport of passengers.
f) Trucks, tractor cabs and vans.
g) Cars and vehicles derived from cars.
h) Special ehicles that do not exceed the masses or dimensions established in the vehicle regulations, quadricycles and light quadricycles.
i) Three wheeled Vehicles, motorcycles with sidecar and three wheeled mopeds.
j) Motorcycles, two wheeled mopeds and bicycles.
When dealing with vehicles of the same type or not listed above, priority will be decided in favor of that which it has to reverse the greater distances and, in case of equality, that which it has the greater width, length or MAM.
2. Infractions of this Article are considered serious offences (LST Art 65.4.c).

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