Driver’s License

Drivers who are not from the EU need an international driver’s license issued by the correct authority in your home country. It must have one page of information in Spanish. Remember that for insurance purposes your tourist status only applies for three months.

Insurance

You also need to have valid insurance and all documents relating to the car (certified copies are OK).

Glasses

Wearers must carry a spare pair in the car at all times.

Warning Triangle is Compulsory

Only one is required for non-Spanish registered vehicles. Two are required for Spanish vehicles, but to avoid difficulties with the police we recommend two triangles should be carried.

Visibility Vests are now Compulsory in Spain

They are also compulsory in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Norway and Portugal (and likely to become compulsory throughout the EU). The rules vary from country to country concerning number of vests required and whether they should be carried in the car or boot. Common sense suggests that there should be a vest for every occupant, and that the vests should be carried in the car, and put on before getting out. Do this and you will not have a problem. The jacket does not cost much to buy from local supermarkets and should be kept somewhere where it is visible from outside the car.

Spare Bulbs

You can also be fined for not having spare bulbs for the car lights and the tools to change them.

Snow Chains

Recommended to be carried in the Spanish Pyrenees and all mountainous regions of Spain during winter, and if you do not carry and fit them when conditions demand the police can prevent you continuing your journey.

Other

Fire extinguisher (recommended)
First-aid kit (recommended)

The emergency services can be accessed by calling 112.
Police Service – 091
Ambulance service – 092
Fire Service – 080

Drinking and Driving:

The very high death rates in Spain (in the top 3 in the EU) have made Spain impose very strict drunk driving laws. Do not drink and drive! The legal drink-drive limit is currently 0,5 grams per liter of air using a breathalyzer. The penalties are very high including losing your license on the spot, boosted by the new ‘rapid justice’ Courts, as are heavy on-the-spot fines for traffic offences. You will not be allowed to leave the area until you have paid any fine or appeared in Court, including spending time in the cells if you cannot pay in cash. New drivers are effectively forbidden to drink and drive, with a very low 0.1 mg/l limit.

Seat Belts:

It is compulsory for all in the car to wear seat belts, both front and rear where fitted. The driver is responsible for any fines where passengers are not wearing an approved belt. Children under 12 years of age are not allowed in the front seats (unless they are over 150 cm or 4 ft. 9 ins, then they can unofficially get away with it. It apparently has to do with being secure in the safety belt). Also, if seated in the back, the belt must fit correctly, or a special ‘raising seat’ must be fitted. Animals must be restrained when in the passenger section and not allowed to jump around.

Cell Phones:

The use of cell phones while driving is prohibited. Hands-free kits are permitted, but they are not allowed to have earpiece attachments. (Astonishingly, 98% of Spaniards don’t know this!) Even at the side of the road. You have to pull off the road completely away from any traffic. You may also not have any device in your ears to listen to music or your mobile phone etc., only allowed is something for enhancing your hearing, i.e. a deaf-aid. Sadly, you still see erratic driving where a mobile is in use, but penalty points and fines can now be awarded. Those who break the law face fines of up to 300€.

Navigation Aids and DVD’s, etc:

This is a grey area of the law. Some say these aids are illegal, yet they are now commonplace. The driver must not use any screen based aid to navigation (or entertainment) while on the road. You must pull completely off away from traffic. (It makes sense really; after all, you are not allowed to drive down the road with a map on the steering wheel). DVD players and screen based devices other than those directly needed to operate the car must be positioned so the driver cannot see them. However, in reality, the police rarely have anything to do with this law.

Speed Trap Detectors:

You are not allowed to have a radar speed detector in your vehicle, let alone use one.

Driving Age:

To drive in Spain you must be aged 18 or over. To rent a vehicle you must be 21 or over. Many companies also require you to have held your driver’s license for a minimum of one or two years. Remember that you will also require a credit card to rent a vehicle.

Using Indicators:

The law operating in Spain regarding the use of indicators on motorways is being strictly enforced. You risk being fined for not indicating before overtaking and again before pulling back to the nearside lane after overtaking. Also, ensure you do not cross the solid white line as you enter the motorway from a slip road, but wait until the line is broken.

Overtaking:

Overtaking can only be done on the left side of the car that you wish to pass. Take care when overtaking – allow more space between you and the car in front so you can see further down the road ahead.

Roundabout:

When approaching a roundabout give way to traffic already on the roundabout, on your left, unless signed otherwise.

Lights:

Dipped headlights should be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.

Good Samaritan:

There is also a little known rule obliging a motorist to stop at the scene of an accident and give assistance as necessary (bare minimum is to call 112, where it is possible to obtain an English speaking operator); although there was in the past an obligation to ferry an injured person to the nearest first aid post, current best practice advises against this owing to likelihood of spinal injuries etc. However, failure to assist a person in danger is a criminal offence.

Losing Your License:

If you are stopped by the police or interviewed at the scene of an accident and you are showing signs of being incapable of driving the vehicle for any reason, the police are empowered to immediately take away your driving license and you could lose it if found in breach of the Law. There are laws affecting penalty points that are different (more restrictive) for new drivers. The Spanish government is determined to reduce the high accident rates on the roads. NEW LAWS dictate that if you are caught driving without a license it is classed as a criminal offence and not a driving offence and you will face an immediate 6 months in jail.

Fines for Motoring Offences in Spain:

New fine rates have recently been published, and over set limits in each location (autopista, town, etc.) you can be arrested on the spot. Speed traps are becoming quite frequent but not as bad as in the UK with cameras. Fines imposed for speeding are calculated at 6€ per kilometer over the speed limit and are payable on the spot.

There are fines for not carrying the right documentation also so make sure you have all your details with you and drive carefully. A common fine currently being issued is for not having lights on when it’s raining. The fine is around 200€. Fines for other offences are calculated on the severity of the offence and there is a table for the guidance of the police and Courts.

If you are a tourist without assets in Spain, all fines are payable in cash ‘on the spot’. Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.

Children:

It is prohibited to carry children in your arms.
No one less than 12 years of age can sit in the front, unless they use a device approved for this purpose.
Children under three years must use an approved restraint system suitable for their height and weight and must always be placed in the back seat.
Any person over three years of age with a height less than one and a half meters must use a restraint system adapted to their size and weight.
These instructions also apply to taxis, so if you want to travel with a baby in a taxi, you must carry an approved restraint system

Accidents:

If you are involved in a minor accident you and the other driver can sort it out yourselves. Otherwise call the Police on 112. Get the license number, name and insurance company of the other driver. Then contact the rental car company and/or your insurance company. Should you have a crash, don’t argue with the police and refer to them politely as Senor or Senorita.

In major cities and now even the villages, non-metered on-street parking is difficult to find but in some areas, there are parking spaces marked in blue for which you should purchase a ticket from a nearby machine on the pavement usually topped with a blue and white ‘P’ sign, or from an attendant. These spaces are usually for about two hours maximum. Penalties for parking infringements vary from town to town and can be heavy.

If you park illegally, especially in a foreign car, you will almost certainly become a victim of the ‘grua’ – the local tow truck, and if you suffer this, there should be a sticker left on the curb with the phone number/address of your car’s new location. Getting your car back will be a hassle and will cost you dearly in fines and fees, not to mention the possible problem of your not speaking Spanish. Collecting your car from the grua is no fun. You go to the compound and pay the recovery fee. Then you go to the police station and pay the fine. Then you return to the compound with your receipts and get your car back.

If the pavement is painted yellow – don’t park, if there is a sign saying ‘No Parking’ – don’t park. If you’re not sure – don’t park. Just be careful where you leave your car and always lock valuables out of sight in the trunk or glove compartment.

You will note however, despite all this advice, the Spanish will park wherever their car happens to come to a halt, even on crossings, pavements and roundabouts, but the new Laws now mean that penalty points can be given to parking transgressors.

Observe all parking signs in the cities or any built up areas. Public parking is noted by the white ‘P’ surrounded in BLUE. A ‘P’ surrounded with BLACK indicates parking for a special class of people (residents, etc).

To use the public parking coin-operated machine, you put in your money and then push the green button. It prints a ticket indicating the parking time allowed. You then place the ticket where it can be seen inside your car window. Normally parking is free on Sundays, bank holidays and every day between 2pm-5pm but read each machine carefully.

If you have a parking ticket fine you can pay it with this machine. Insert the ticket into the envelope you have been given, along with cash payment. Then put into the letter box in the machine.

Public parking garages can be found in most cities. Hotels often have a parking garage for guests for which an extra fee is usually applied. Where possible, look for underground parking with security attendance. It’s worth paying that little bit more.

Buying gas in Spain is much like in the States; the pumps are just about the same, except the money is in Euros and you buy it by the liter.

All grades of unleaded petrol (benzin), diesel (gasoleo ‘A’) and LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive. Leaded no longer exists. It is allowed to carry petrol in a can. If you make a mistake refueling, don’t start the car but ask the attendants to drain the tank for you. This will save you from having to pay for any damage.

Keep your tank topped up in case gas stations close during the siesta hour. However many gas stations are self service.

Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, although they probably won’t work at automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps open out-of-hours and at lunch-time (from noon to 3pm) away from the Autoroutes. It’s a good idea to let your card issuer know you will be traveling abroad. This ensures they don’t suspend your card if they spot it being used in unfamiliar places, which they sometimes do as an anti-fraud measure.

Translations:
Leaded = super or super 98
Unleaded = sin plomo 98 or Eurosuper 95
Diesel = gasoleo

The roads in Spain today are considerably better than they were just 10 years ago. Many of the infamously dangerous major single carriageways, such as the N340 spanning the Costa del Sol, have been made into decent dual carriageways and some superb toll motorways have been built. You still get the occasional pot-holed ‘I think I’ve destroyed my suspension’ type roads but these are gradually being replaced by new smoother roads.

Having to join a busy dual-carriageway from a standstill is never safe! Yet most of the exits onto the dual-carriageway are like this. Sometimes you’ll even find that you are on a bit of a hill, at a stand-still, trying to get onto the road as quickly as possible but which usually ends up in a lot of wheel-spin and a slow crawl onto the motorway as a menacing truck hurtles towards you at 100 kph. Nerve-racking to say the least! You also usually get the ‘I don`t care what’s coming’ type of driver who decides to pull out onto the road like a snail, risking their own lives as well as everyone else’s. The crazy thing is that this type of driving is not really frowned upon, with no resulting road-rage and everyone carries on as normal having just braked so hard to avoid a collision.

Don’t worry about following the road numbers. Just follow the signs that point toward your city destination. Street name signs are not always easy to find. If you are walking down the street, you usually can find a street sign, mounted on the side of a corner building. These signs are really hard to see from a car. To locate a hotel or attraction there usually are signs along the road pointing you in the right direction.

Spanish road names that begin with an ‘AP’ are toll roads and as a result are usually relatively free from traffic. They will invariably have a toll-free road running more or less alongside, which will be busier and probably more picturesque.

Road Classifications:

Autopista (motorway)
A or E – prefix to road number: these can be toll roads (peajes). Example, AP7 or E90
Autovia (dual carriageway)
A – prefix to road number. Not necessarily with a central reservation. – example A8
Carretera Nacional
N or CN – prefix to road number, main roads – example CN322
Carretera Comarcal (country roads, Local small roads)
C – prefix, are often CV roads

Autopista (toll) Roads:

Spain has over 2,000 km of toll roads and more are planned. They are of excellent standard and all have service stations with cafes of an acceptable standard every 25 miles or so. The tolls are expensive, especially in summer when the rates are doubled and are usually calculated per kilometer. Toll roads are great. Okay, they’re not free, but they are so empty! There is no such thing as ‘rush hour’ on the toll roads; you are pretty much guaranteed that you’ll arrive at your journey at the time you planned.

Some toll roads, for long distance travelling allow you to collect a ticket at the start and then pay the total when you exit the road. They do however mean that you can drive relaxed and safer over long distances as the locals usually avoid them. Most ticket booths are on the left. Some booths have operators both sides.

As you approach the toll booths (peaje), you will be confronted with rows of them:
`Telepago` lane is for cars fitted with a special chip on the windscreen.
`Automatico` is a machine only where exact money can be paid.
`Tarjeta` is to pay by credit card only.
`Manual` has an attendant who collects your fee.

All useable lanes will have a green arrow, un-usable lanes display a red cross.
Remember that there are S.O.S. posts along the toll roads every two miles or so.
You can check the highways that require toll payment on this website: (https://www.aseta.es/index.php?Seccion=mapa)

You can find out real-time road conditions through the website of the Department of Transportation (https://www.dgt.es/). The information about roads is available in Spanish, English, and French. Also, radio stations provide information about roads in their news programs.

Some useful phrases to remember while driving in Spain:

All Directions – Todas Direcciones
Battery – El acumulador
City centre – Centro ciudad
Danger – Peligro
Detour – Desvio
Drive with care – Cuidado
Dual Carriageway – Autovia
Exit – Salida
Gas Tank – Tanque de gasolina
Give Way – Ceda el Paso
Go straight on – Siga todo recto
Keep Left – Mantenga su izquierda
Keep Right – Mantenga su derecha
Lane – Un carril
License Plate – la matrícula
Local Highway – Carretera
Motorway – Una autopista
No parking – Prohibido aparcar
Priority to left – Prioridad a la izquierda
Priority to right – Prioridad a la derecha
One way street – Direccíon unica
Open – Abierto
Police Station – Comisaria
Radiator – el radiador
Right of way – Prioridad
Road Closed – Prohibido el paso
Roadworks – Obras
Slow – Despacio
Traffic lights – Semaforas
Toll Road – Carretera de Peaje
Turn right – Gira a la derecha
Turn left – Gira a la izquierda

Where is the nearest gas station? – ¿Donde es la gasolinera la más cercana?
Excuse me, I`m lost – Por favor, estoy perdido.

These speeds reflect the changes announced by the Spanish government in February 2011:

Motorways and Autovias – 120 km/h (72 mph)
Standard roads – 100 km/h (62 mph)
(meeting at least one of the following criteria)
one-way roads
roads with more than two lanes for at least one direction of traffic
roads with shoulders more than 1.5m wide
Other standard roads – 90 km/h (55 mph)
Built-up areas – 50 km/h (32 mph)
Residential areas – 25 km/h (15mph)

A note on converting kilometers to miles:

Multiply the kilometers by 6 and move the decimal point 1 place to the left:
8 kilometers = 4.8 miles
12 kilometers = 7.2 miles
Speed limit 70 = 42 miles per hour

On standard roads (but not motorways or autovías), cars and motorbikes are allowed to overtake at 20 km/h over the standard limit, if the vehicle being overtaken is travelling below the speed limit, and there is no posted speed limit lower than the standard. This permission decreases the time needed to overtake, and increases safety in the process.

On motorways, a minimum speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) is mandatory for all kinds of vehicles. Minimum speeds in the rest of roads are one half of the generic speed limit for every vehicle. If a posted speed limit sign is below this value, the minimum speed is the posted limit minus 10 km/h.

No legal sanction is established for driving within 10 percent over the speed limit, depending on the specific limit of the area.

Traffic Lights:

The traffic-lights (semaforas) in Spain are more often than not, situated only at your stop line for the junction and so you can see when they change when you are in the front of the queue, there is a set of smaller lights on the support post.

An amber flashing light means that there is a hazard approaching, such as a crossing. You can pass through this light, with caution, if clear to do so. Sometimes you will come across an amber light and if you pass through at more than the speed limit, this will change the next lights to red, meaning that you have to stop.

A uniformed traffic police officer has priority over all signs and the traffic lights come next in the pecking order; then ‘vertical signs’ (e.g. a STOP sign on a pole) and finally, a ‘horizontal’ sign such as a STOP line on the road surface, usually faded and very often invisible.

Pedestrian Crossings:

The Law for pedestrian crossings until recently is not as strict as in the US where a driver is always at fault if the vehicle hits a pedestrian on the crossing. You must step onto the crossing, remembering to look LEFT, and show the palm of your hand to any approaching vehicles. Previously, they still did not have to stop, but a new Law involving penalty points means that the drivers can be penalized now for not stopping. Many tourists are injured, some killed each year, for only looking right when crossing the road.

Overtaking:

You may NOT overtake on the right (inside lanes) on the highways unless there is a slip road or another road indicated and you are taking it. It is very common in Spain to be passed on both sides of you so be aware when shifting lanes.

Give way to traffic from the right unless otherwise signed. On roundabouts you give way to the left unless signposted different. 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’ (change of direction), especially on the autovias.

Rain:

When it rains in Spain the roads actually become quite scary. It doesn’t rain often but when it does the heavens truly open and the roads become swimming pools (apart from toll roads which aren’t really affected).

What makes the roads dangerous in these conditions is that the drivers are not used to driving in the wet and don’t always compensate for it. The fast drivers will still sit on your backside trying to get past and you still have to pull out from a standstill onto a main road.

Even worse than the rain are damp roads. Even in dry conditions the roads in Spain tend to be quite slippery due to dust. When the roads are damp, combined with the dust, you really do have to take it easy.

Drivers:

Like in any country Spain has a mix of slow, ‘normal’ and fast drivers. The slow ones tend to drive special cars for which you don’t need a license. These are frighteningly slow as they can’t do more than about 50 kph, so even buses and trucks have to overtake them. The normal drivers tend to have their head in the clouds and not really aware of their surroundings.

Then come the fast drivers who have a driving technique you have never known before (and which you may soon find yourself adopting). If you’re in the outside lane and someone wants to get past you, the first thing they do is sit right on your back bumper – literally. Just millimeters away from you they will then put on their left indicator to tell you that they want to get past (as if you didn’t already know this!). They are relentless (and crazy) when it comes to overtaking.

The Spaniards are not the most considerate of road users. When merging with a motorway, don’t expect drivers to slow to let you on – you may have to stop at the end of the slip road. Many drivers show complete disregard for speed limits and you may find some obstinate road users who deliberately straddle two lanes to prevent such speed freaks from passing.

If you plan to rent a car in Europe, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the operation of the manual transmission. The vast majority of rental cars have manual transmissions. There are only a limited number of automatics available.
The very concept of ‘car’ is radically different between North America and Europe. Whereas in the US and Canada size really matters, Europeans look for fuel economy and have cramped parking conditions in mind. Here are some hints on choosing the right car when renting.

Transmission – Not Automatically Automatic

The very first thing to bear in mind is the transmission. Whereas most rental cars in North America will be equipped with automatic transmission, manual transmission is the norm in Europe. In addition the gearshift will be to the left of the driver. If you are not familiar with a manual transmission be sure to select an automatic. And remember that the ‘exotic’ automatic transmissions may sell out fast, so book early.

Interior Space

Most rental cars are standard European or Japanese vehicles, built for cramped road conditions and comparatively short journeys. Especially the lower categories (Sub-Compact and Compact) are typical ‘city cars’ for the occasional user. Even ‘mid-size’ in Europe would be rated Compact in the US. So expect tighter conditions and choose a larger vehicle if traveling long distances.

Seats and Legroom

Cars are smaller and Europeans are used to them, so this leads to different car ratings. In the US, a car rated for two adults and two children, would be rated for five adults in Ireland. If you are in any way larger than the average European (5 ft 7 in, 165 pounds) go for a larger vehicle.

The Trunk

Luggage space in European and Japanese cars can be tight. Sub-Compact and Compact vehicles will more than likely be of the hatchback type with no actual trunk and a somewhat cramped storage area in the back. Getting four adults and their luggage into a Sub-Compact is nearly impossible. If you are planning to take your full baggage allowance go for a Mid-Size at least. Do not plan on leaving your luggage in view while touring, this will attract undesirable attention.

Extras – You Don’t Need Them

When looking up European rental cars you might notice that air conditioning or cruise control are not necessarily included in the specifications. You will not really miss them. While air conditioning can occasionally be nice during the short Irish summer, cruise control would be of no practical use at all.