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

Temporary additional traffic lanes

Article 42. Temporary additional traffic lanes.
1. On two-way roads with hard shoulders when the width of the carriageway allows, the competent authority may designate an additional lane of traffic in one direction, by means of provisional signaling and marking by barriers that modify the lane direction.
The effect of this temporary additional lane by using the hard shoulder is to have two lanes in one direction and one in the other. In all cases this will be properly signed. Vehicles that use the hard shoulder and this additional lane must do so at a maximum speed of 80kph and a minimum of 60kph or less if specifically signed, must use dipped headlights at least at all times and must comply with the rules contained in the previous Article if applicable.
2. Contravention of the use of contraflow lanes is a very serious offence; exceeding the speed limits in a contraflow is either a serious or very serious offence, according to severity (LST Art 65.5.f, 65.4.c and 65.5.e).
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