PUBLIC ROADS
Roads are used by drivers, pedestrians and animals. All users have rights, obligations, and prohibitions. They all need to follow these rules:
Do not bother others: You have to obey the rules and be respectful with the rest of users
Do not be surprising: You share the roads with more users so, you have to be sure not to endanger others when carrying out maneuvers
Warn others about your movements: By signaling with lights
Be understanding to others: Accepting their apollogies when they make mistakes
It’s forbidden to set fires or pollute public roads, wash vehicles or throw trash. You can’t obstruct traffic when parking or stopping
In case of falling loads, you must remove them as soon as possible while protecting the area
OBLIGATIONS
You have to be in perfect conditions to control your vehicle or animals (alcohol, fatige…) Especially when you come across children, elderly or handicapped people
You have to collaborate with the authorities to check noise and pollutants of your vehicle
You have to drive carefully to avoid accidents and damages. Reckless driving is a crime
You need to have free movements and visibility when driving. People, animals and loads must be transported properly. You can’t watch movies nor surf the internet while driving. GPS devices are allowed without touching the screen
You have to switch off engine, lights, radio and mobile phone when filling up the tank at gas stations
You have to keep registration plates legible. Drivers are responsible for this
PROHIBITIONS
You can’t wear earphones or bluetooth devices into your ears
You can’t handle phones or GPS devices. It is also forbidden to carry the phone between your ear and helmet. Only hands-free devices are allowed when driving, including crash helmets with built-in speakers and bluetooth connection
You can’t install radar detectors or inhibiting devices
PARTS OF THE ROADS
Carriageway: Part of the road for traffic in general
Lane: Division of the carriageway. In case of lack of road markings, there will be as many lanes as automobiles (no motorcycles) could go side by side
Hard Shoulder: Forbidden to drive, except non-motorized vehicles or emergency situations. There is no difference if it has broken or straight line
Verge: Part of the road where side barriers and signs are placed
Central Reservation: Required for motorways and dual carriageways to separate traffic
Exit Slip Road: Join it at the beginning. It helps you slow down without hindering traffic on the main road
Ditch: Part close to the road to drain water
Service Road: Access to join properties adjacent to the road
Acceleration Lane: You need to adapt the speed at the end of it, according to every the situation
Gradient change/Brow of a hill: In the event of lack of visiblity, you can’t invade the oncoming lane. This rule is also at bends/curves without visibility
Roundabout: Drive around a central island. You have to leave them from the right lane
Split roundabout/Racket: Compulsory to join when turning left. In the event of U-turns, either way is correct
Types of highways(roads)
Urban road: Inside town, except through roads
Through road/Crossing: Stretch of road crossing a town
Interurban/Inter-city road: Out of town
Motorway
Junctions at different levels. Two carriageways divided by a central reservation
NO ACCESS TO PROPERTIES (service road)
Dual carriageway
Junctions at different levels. Two carriageways divided by a central reservation
ACCESS TO PROPERTIES
Urban motorways and dual carriageways
Same rules as the ones out of town
Multi-lane roads
Neither motorway nor dual carriageway but it has 2 lanes for each direction with central reservation or road marks
Highways reserved for automobiles
A single carriageway without access to properties
Conventional roads
Rest of roads (no restrictions)
Routes for Bicycles
Road reserved for bicycles with signs and road marks
Bicycle lane: Delimited by a road mark
Protected bicycle lane: Separated from normal traffic
Bicycle lane in sidewalk
Off-road bicycle lane
Cycle and pedestrian path -> For cycles, pedestrians, and PMV. Out of traffic, usually, in parks and gardens
PROHIBITIONS ON MOTORWAYS / DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS / HIGHWAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES
ANIMALS & ANIMAL DRAWN
MOPEDS AND REDUCED MOBILITY
PEDESTRIANS
Banned to pick up hitchhikers, especially, at toll gates on motorways
PERSONAL MOBILITY VEHICLES
CYCLES, EXCEPT ON DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS
REQUIREMENTS:
Without leaving hard shoulder
When cyclists are 14 years old, at least
GENERAL RULES FOR VEHICLES ON THE ROADS
Carriageway: All automobiles and special vehicles above 3,500Kg of MAM. At bends and gradients without visibility you must drive as close to the right side as possible
On TWO-WAY carriageways (roads with oncoming traffic lane)
TWO LANES
Right lane to drive, especially with lack of visibility
Left lane (contrary): Only to overtake when it is safe
THREE LANES
Right lane: To drive, right turns and U-Turns
Central lane (when it is empty): Left turns and to overtake
Left lane: NEVER
On ONE-WAY carriageways (no oncoming traffic lane)
OUT OF TOWN and URBAN MOTORWAYS/DUAL
TWO LANES
Right one to drive. Left one when necessary to overtake without hindering other vehicles behind
THREE OR MORE
Right one to drive. The other ones when necessary to overtake
The following vehicles can only go in the right-hand lane and the closest one when necessary to overtake:
Lorries, vans and special more than 3500Kg of MAM
Vehicle combinations more than 7m long
IN TOWN/BUILT-UP AREAS
Without road marks: Right lane to drive / Left one: To overtake and left turns
With road markings: Lane most convenient for your destination
Traffic island: To channelize traffic. Forbidden to drive, park and stop
On two-way roads: You must drive on the right side
On one-way roads: You may drive either on the right or left
On roads with three carriageways, the ones on the sides are one-way but you may find contraflow lanes. However, the central one can be one or two-way road according to the signs
There are some lanes that don’t count as normal lanes such as:
Reserved for certain vehicles: Bus, bicycle…
Reserved for certain maneuvres: Acceleration, waiting lanes…
LANES ACCORDING TO THE SPEED
In this situation, the central lane can be used only by vehicles going at 60 km/h or above to overtake
But you must drive in the right lane as general rule
LANES RESERVED FOR BUSES
CONTINUOUS LINE: You can cross it to leave this lane. Never to join it
BROKEN LINE: You can join it to make turns
PROHIBITIONS: Driving, stopping, parking, overtaking and U-Turns
LANES FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES
HOV LANE (VAO) – HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLES
MOTORCYCLES and 3-WHEELED
SEDANS (WITHOUT TRAILERS)
MULTI-PURPOSE (WITHOUT TRAILERS)
WHEN CARRYING THE INDICATED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, EXCEPT:
HANDICAPPED DRIVERS
ZERO EMISSIONS
ONLY WHEN INDICATED ON THE PANELS
ADMINISTRATIVE VEHICLES ON EMERGENCY SERVICES
- BUSES MAY USE THIS LANE WHEN IT IS ESTABLISHED -> BUS-VAO
- THE MAXIMUM SPEED IN THESE LANES IS THE SAME AS THE ROAD THEY ARE FOUND
- IT IS NOT OBLIGATORY TO GO WITH DIPPED LIGHTS ON
- FORBIDDEN -> VANS, LORRIES, VEHICLES WITH TRAILES, MOPEDS, PEDESTRIANS, SPECIAL…
LANES FOR CERTAIN MANEUVRES
ACCELERATION LANES : To join roads adapting the speed at the end of them
DECELERATION LANES / EXIT RAMPS: To leave roads. You have to join them from the beginning to slow down
INTERTWINED LANES: To join and leave roads. It is important to show indicators in advance
WAITING LANES To turn left without obstructing traffic on the main road
LANES TO IMPROVE FLOW OF TRAFFIC
REVERSIBLE
- SQUARE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND DOUBLE BROKEN LINES
- DIPPED HEADLIGHTS ON
- ALL VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED
- MAX. SPEED -> THE ONE OF THE ROAD
- BANNED TO JOIN LEFT LANE
ADDITIONAL
- A NEW LANE IS ADDED USING HARD SHOULDERS
- DIPPED LIGHTS ON (ALL VEHICLES)
- SPEED 60-80 Kph (ALL VEHICLES)
- FORBIDDEN TO CROSS THE CONES
ENABLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION / CONTRAFLOW LANE
- TO IMPROVE FLOW ONLY FOR SEDANS AND MOTORCYCLES (NO TRAILERS)
- DUE TO ROAD WORKS: ALL VEHICLES
- DIPPED LIGHTS ON
- SPEED: 60-80 Kph
- CLOSEST LANE-> LIGHTS&60-80, EXCEPT WHEN THERE ARE TWO LANES LEFT: SPEED OF THE ROAD
VEHICLES IN HARD SHOULDER
When there is not a path for them, the following vehicles will go in the right hard shoulder -> Special vehicles up to 3,500Kg, unmotorised vehicles and vehicles following cyclists. If there is no hard shoulder, they willl drive in the carriageway
When driving automobiles up to 3,500(MAM) at abnormally low speed due to emergency, you will join it only if you are hindering traffic in your lane
Also when driving on roads with additional lane and when giving way to administrative vehicles: Ambulance…
Only bicycles can go side by side. Exceptionally, mopeds can do so if they don’t leave hard shoulder
To overtake, these vehicles can’t spend more than 15 sec or 200 metres driving side by side
FRONT DISTANCE
Distance which allows you not to collide with vehicles ahead if they brake suddenly
Forbidden overtakings
Anywhere overtaking is forbidden, you must always keep safety front distance
In town
Anywhere inside town, you must always keep safety front distance with or without intention to overtake
More than one lane for you
Anywhere with 2 lanes in your direction, you must always keep safety front distance with or without intention to overtake
With intention to overtake
On two-way roads with 2 lanes out of town with intention to overtake, you must always keep safety front distance
Heavy traffic
In heavy traffic, you must always keep safety front distance
On 2-way roads with 2 lanes out of town without intention to overtake, you must always keep safety front distance and the one that allows vehicles behind overtake you
ON TWO-WAY INTERURBAN ROADS
50 m (without intention to overtake) for the following vehicles:
Vehicles +3500 MAM
Vehicles +10 m long
IN TUNNELS & UNDERPASSES
With intention to overtake, you must always keep safety front distance
No intention to overtake:
Minimum: 100 m or a 4 seconds
Vehicles above 3500 MAM: 150 m or 6 seconds
DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC
Going faster than other lanes is not overtaking. You must drive keeping safety distance and going at the speed of your lane
FORBIDDEN: Change lanes except to leave the road or make turns. You can’t use hard shoulder to take a close exit
.
Authorities may ban some vehicles in certain special traffic days such as summer holidays, easter, christmas…
CONDITIONS OF TRAFFIC: COLORS CODE
Traffic is fluid
Weather conditions are good
Traffic is slower than normal. Advisable not to go above 100 on motorways and 80 on conventional
Weather conditions don’t affect traffic, but you must maximize caution. Heavy trucks can’t overtake
Slow traffic with some stops
There is snow on the road. Banned for heavy trucks. Maximum speed is 60 Km/h for sedans, buses…
Very slow traffic. Long and frequent stops
Road totally covered by snow. Banned for large vehicles. Snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory. 30 Km/h
Road closed
Traffic is banned for all vehicles
PEDESTRIANS
Definition: Person who is walking or goes on a wheelchair. Also, when they push strollers or any other vehicle with wheels and no engine, including pushing bicycles and mopeds, but not motorcycles
As a general rule, they must walk on pedestrian areas but, the following pedestrians can always go on the road taking precautions:
People on wheelchairs, groups of people leaded by a guide, people carrying bulky stuff or pushing vehicles without engine
Without pedestrian area, people should walk in the hard shoulder or carriageway
Outside town or through roads: on their left. Except when the right side is safer
On urban roads: right or left
Pedestrians must always walk on the right when it comes to wheelchairs, groups of people or pushing vehicles
Forbidden to walk side by side, except groups with a guide: Scholar queues, soldiers…
They must use zebra crossings this way:
With traffic lights, they have to obey their lights
Without traffic lights, they have right of way. But, before crossing, they have to make sure it is going to be safe
Without pedestrian crossing, they can cross in safe places (visibility) and perpendicular to the road
They must walk around roundabouts:
Pedestrians can never walk on roads out of town, except on conventional roads
You can’t pick up hitchhikers at toll gates on motorways or dual carriageways
Forbidden to go skating on the road nor sidewalk
On skateboards, they can never be dragged by other vehicles
They must wear reflective clothes or a flashlight visible from 150m out of town with lack of visibility (night, fog…). When in group, they must display white light at the front and red light at the back
ANIMALS
They must lead animals using livestock paths
Without those paths, they will use the right half of the road. They should go on roads with little traffic driven by someone above 18 years old
They can only cross at properly signposted pet crossings
PROHIBITIONS FOR ANIMALS
They can only go in town and conventional roads. Owners can never leave animals without custody on public roads nor racing with animals
When poor visibility: white light in front and red light at the back