Basic Rule
Give way to traffic from the left,
especially at roundabouts. Do not pull into the middle of
the road to turn left if there is a solid line in the road.
There are often special lanes for this, signposted cambio
de sentido. Always wear seatbelts and don't drink and drive
- the limits are very low and the penalties very high, as
are on-the-spot fines for traffic offences.
Driver's license
Non-Residents
can drive in Spain on a foreign driving license for a maximum
of 6 months in the calendar year.
EU residents can drive on their existing
EU license until it runs outs. When it does run out you must
apply for a Spanish driving license.
Non-EU residents must obtain a Spanish driving
license after one year.
Road Tax
Road tax in
Spain is paid to the local government. The fee is related
to the individual vehicle and the area. All vehicles are required
to undertake an annual inspection (called an ITV), to check
the condition of the vehicle. Major towns and cities have
several ITV stations to which you can take your car.
Insurance
As with most
other European countries third party insurance is compulsory.
If you give proof of at least 5 years no
claims from your earlier insurer you can reduce your insurance
premiums.
Parking
No parking
in spaces painted yellow or (obviously) in areas with "No
Parking" signs. Parking spaces with meters are marked
in blue where a ticket can be purchased from an attendant
or machine. The machine may be halfway down the block; don't
assume that because there is no meters near the car that parking
is free. These spaces are usually for two hours maximum. Fines
vary between areas but can be substantial.
Fines
Fines for speeding
are paid on the spot and are calculated at 1,000 pts per kilometer
over the limit. The legal drink-drive limit is 50mg per milliliter
with breath test a frequent occurrence. Fines for this are
very high.
seatbelt
It is compulsory on all roads to wear seatbelts
both front and rear where fitted.
New laws and mobile phone
The use of a mobile telephone whilst driving
is now banned in Spain, although you can pull over to the
side of the road to take an emergency call. Those who break
the law face fines of up to 300€. Motorists are required to
use hands-free kits, which doesn't include earphone connections.
It must be equipment fitted to the power supply of the car.
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