Motorists thinking about getting behind the wheel on a trip to Spain have been urged to learn a number of new rules to prevent being subject to serious fines.
The prospect of a trip to sunny Spain seems particularly pleasant with the cold weather and snow experienced in various parts of the country during the week.
However, new rules recently announced by the Direccion General de Trafico (DGT) for use on motorways and dual carriageways from January 2025 could result in penalties for uninformed residents and visitors.
First, the DGT highlighted that they would be clamping down on cases of middle and fast-lane hogging, particularly when travelling in adverse weather conditions.
Drivers have been urged to stick to the right, with overtaking off limits when the weather is poor, to free up space for snowploughs, which typically travel in the left-most lane.
Similarly, drivers taking to the roads in Spain from January 2025 will need to learn the emergency corridor rule that could help emergency vehicles to pass quickly through heavy traffic jams.
If motorists stuck in heavy traffic on dual carriageways hear an emergency response vehicle approaching, they must pull to the side of the lane to create as wide a passing as possible to let the vehicle pass through.
A number of other mainland European countries, including Germany, Hungary, and Switzerland, already use the emergency corridor procedure. Drivers in the UK are recommended to learn it to help those responding to an incident.
Finally, the DGT has also noted that motorcycle riders using dual carriageways and motorways will soon be able to use the hard shoulder during heavy traffic.
An unconventional decision, the organisation highlighted that allowing motorcycle riders to use the lane at a limited speed of 30kph (18mph) will help to ease congestion.
Nevertheless, motorbike riders will still need to give way to any vehicles using the hard shoulder for breakdowns or road users who are already allowed to use the lane, such as pedal bikes, animal-drawn vehicles, and mopeds.
Whilst these changes are somewhat drastic, the DGT has changed rules on dual carriageways and motorways to improve road safety, particularly when travelling in bad weather conditions.
The Spanish organisation also hopes that the measures will reduce traffic jams, which could increase the amount of emissions produced.
It is currently unknown how much drivers who break the new rules will be fined. However, traffic penalties in Spain are generally about the same as in the UK.