Driving in Spain
Spain is world famous for the elegant architecture that lines its streets. You can feast your eyes on stylish old churches or the country’s modern infrastructures. Spain is such a beautiful sight during the day. At night, be prepared for some good music and serious disco fun. Outdoor activities are a delight because of the country’s excellent weather. There is a lot of top class accommodation that you can choose from.
Road Accidents - License Points
To cut down on road accident rates in Spain, its government introduced a point system. Drivers are furthered categorized into three groups: normal (12 pts.), new drivers (8 pts.) and veterans (8 pts.). New drivers are citizens who have less than three years of driving experience and veterans are driver who lost all points and are required to obtain a new licence. Drivers can accumulate lost points if they complete a driving course or the have been driving for three years without any traffic violation. You would loose some corresponding points if you violate any of the traffic laws written below:
Drink Driving
Drink driving is a serious offense. If you are found with more than 0.50 mg/l of alcohol in your blood or driving under the influence of prohibited drugs you can be held for questioning and face serious charges.
Maintain your speed at only 120 km/h on motorways. Open roads require that you go no faster than 90-100 km/h. In most towns, speed limit is at 50 km/h. Radar traps are used to catch offenders. Once caught you may have to pay an on the spot fine.
General Information
Always drive on your right. Seatbelts are mandatory and should be worn at all times by front and rear passengers. Kids under 12 years of age are not allowed to travel in front unless your vehicle has proper restraint system.
While in Spain, always carry with you your personal driver’s licence, vehicle documents and car insurance certificate. If your licence doesn’t have your photo, bring your passport along.
For your safety, bringing a first-aid kit inside your car is recommended but is not mandatory. Individuals with impaired eyesight should always carry two pairs of glasses with them.
Summary:
- Seatbelts should always be worn
- Children should sit in the back
- Children under 4 should use a child seat
- For safety reasons, you should never drink and drive
All information on this page is provided as a guide for our customers. It is intended as an overview of different driving rules, customs and points of interest in each country. It is not a comprehensive guide. Although we try to keep information on this page as accurate and up to date as possible, we cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies. If you find any errors or there is anything you would like us to add, please contact us.
