Spain has a number of rules that tourists need to be aware of when driving on the country's roads and one of these could see drivers hit with a hefty fine
Travel William Morgan Senior reporter and Cyann Fielding 02:07, 21 Mar 2025
British holidaymakers could be hit with a hefty £418 fine if they're not mindful of a specific Spanish road law while driving abroad.
In Spain, motorists are permitted to use the left lane on motorways to travel at speeds up to 74.5 mph and can overtake slower-moving vehicles. However, confusion may arise if another vehicle approaches from behind, signaling with headlights—it's not always evident whether you're expected to move over.
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The law indicates that you ought to, especially if it's an emergency situation. Per Article 31 of the Reglamento General de Circulación (RGC), all vehicles on Spain's motorways and dual carriageways must stick to the right-hand lane when feasible, reserving the left lane solely for overtaking purposes rather than cruising.
Although overtaking isn't forbidden, it's clear that drivers should return to the right-hand lane as soon as it's safe and convenient.
Article 31 specifically mentions: "Outside urban areas, on roads with more than one lane reserved for the same direction of travel, a driver must normally use the rightmost lane."
While it’s legal to pass other cars within the speed limit, the key takeaway is that after overtaking, drivers are meant to revert to the right-hand lane. This means that both the overtaker and speeding drivers have duties to uphold—the former to shift right post-overtake when practicable, and the latter to recognize that speed limits apply to them equally, EuroWeekly reports.
Lane hoggers putting unnecessary claim to the left side of the road could face sanctions, reports the Mirror. Conversely, drivers who engage in aggressive tailgating, flash their headlights excessively, or undertake risky maneuvers might encounter even harsher penalties.
In Spain, traffic offence fines are typically categorised into three levels: minor offences at €100.00 (£83.64); serious offences at €200.00 (£167.29); and very serious offences at €500.00 (£418.22). Failure to use indicators when necessary can lead to a fine of €200 (£167.29), while late use of indicators can result in a €80 (£66.92) penalty.
Speeding fines vary from €100 to €500 (£83.64 to £418.22), contingent on the speed at which offenders are caught or the type of road they are driving on.
As per the RAC website: "In Spain, motorists drive on the right and overtake on the left. Vehicles exceeding 10 metres in length and weighing more than 3.5 tonnes must maintain a distance of at least 50m from the vehicle ahead. The exception to this rule applies in built-up areas, on roads where overtaking is prohibited, when there are multiple lanes in the same direction, or when traffic is so congested that overtaking another vehicle is not feasible.
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"Generally, drivers approaching an intersection must yield to all vehicles coming from the right. At roundabouts, drivers already on the roundabout have priority over those approaching it. Drivers on secondary roads must give way to vehicles from either direction when joining a main road. Emergency vehicles and vehicles on rails take precedence over other road users.
"Unnecessary use of horns is forbidden. In urban areas, sounding the horn is not allowed at any time, except in an emergency. If you need to give a warning, flash your lights instead."
