Driving in Spain

 

If you intend to drive your UK registered car to or in Spain, here is what needs to be carried in it

Current driving licence, preferably the EU type with the ring of stars.

Two EU approved, red warning triangles.

Approved reflective jackets that must be worn by all outside the car at anytime, day or night, outside the vehicle at the side of any highway not in an urban (street lights?) area. The jackets must be kept inside the car so they can be put on before getting out and also must be visible from outside the car. The pocket in the back of the front seat is a good place. The jackets are inexpensive and can be bought at most supermarkets if you do not have them already.

A set of spare lamps/bulbs for your car and the tool/s to change them.

If you wear corrective glasses for driving, a spare pair.
A lot of people carry an old pair of glasses for this purpose

Your number plate should be an EU one with the ring of stars containing your country code, or a small plate/sticker with your country code (GB, etc) should secured to the rear of the car.

Valid insurance.
Unlike the UK, this must be carried in the car at all times

All vehicle documents relating to the car (legally certified copies are OK).
Unlike the UK these documents again, should be carried in the car at all times

 

Speed limits

Autopista (motorway) - A or E - prefix to road number: these can be toll roads (peajes). Maximum speed 120 kph (73 mph).

Autovia - dual carriageway, not necessarily with a central reservation. Speed limits vary from 80 to 140 kph. 50mph to 87mph

Carretera Nacional - N or CN - prefix to road number, main roads. 100 to 60 kph. 62mph to 40mph

Carretera Comarcal - C - prefix, country roads. 100 to 80 kph. 62mph to 50mph

Carretera Local - highway. Speeds are as signed, but usually not more than 100 kph. 62mph

Please note that the speeds are somewhat less for various classes of vehicles including towed trailers/caravans

 

A quick update on this post

Using a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal in Spain
The hands free laws differ from those in the UK
Hands free kits in Spain, must be of the type that are fixed in the car, rather than the blue tooth ear pieces, or hands free kits that connect to the phone via a wire, with an ear piece and microphone

Another law that I had to ask around about, because I thought it a total wind up is the smoking and driving law
If you are the driver in control of motor vehicle on the public roads in Spain, it is illegal to be smoking
If caught by the police or Guardia etc, the fine will be equal to that of using a mobile phone whilst driving

And I thought the UK was screwed up with their laws

 

Its seems not all hire cars come with yellow jackets etc when you pick them up from the hire company's at the airports. With promises of them paying the fines if your pulled over by the Spanish police for not carrying them in the car.
This may be a bit hard to do, since the police issue on the spot fines.
If you do hire a car, insist on the car carrying all necessary equipment to be within the Spanish driving laws, ie spare bulbs, tools to change the bulbs, warning triangle and enough yellow jackets for all occupants of the vehicle.

 

What about a british Licence? or do you need an international one?

 

If your driving licence is the picture type, it should be a European standard one.

There were some law changes as far as I know, that if your in Spain any length of time, you also need a medical certificate. These are renewed every ten years until your 40 I believe, the every five years after, up until you hit 60 or 65, then they are done on a more regular basis.

Typical Spain, they make their own rules up as they go along.

Remember to always cary your driving licence if your out in your car. One person I know recently got stopped at a checkpoint as he was taking someone to the airport and they refused to let hm cary on his journey until his licence was produced. Plus they fined him for not having it on him.

Luckily the flight was delayed for our hours and his passengers made it on time.

 

Do the police use radar traps for speeding? If so, Are radar detectors legal.

 

They do use radar traps and there are a few fixed cameras in Spain.

I got collared by a mobile trap, three hours into my final trip down here.

Very amicable. Pay on the spot and get a reduced fine.

They also love doing road blocks in regular places. You will find he like stopping all the cars at a certain roundabout at silly o´clock in the morning or just put a trap on a motorway.