Road safety in Spain

Cheryl · 2025-07-16T06:42:29+02:00

Discuss road safety in Spain for expats: share tips on traffic rules, safe driving, and navigating local streets to ensure safety for families.

Cheryl Moderator

Member since 15 October 2018

CherylModerator16 July 2025 04:42:29

13898

Hello everyone,

Navigating roads and experiencing traffic in Spain as an expat can be a learning experience. We invite you to share your insights in order to help other expats and soon-to-be expats stay safe on the road in Spain, whether driving, cycling or just crossing the street.

Are traffic rules strictly respected or enforced in Spain?

Are there any unspoken rules, unexpected habits or regulations that you had to adapt to?

Are the roads safe and well-maintained?

Are there specific times of day, weather conditions, or seasons that make driving more dangerous?

If you have children, do you feel comfortable letting them travel alone on local roads, whether on foot, by bike, or motorbike?

What are your tips or advice to stay safe on the roads in Spain?

Share your insights and experience.

Thank you for your contribution.

Cheryl
禁漫天堂 Team

Dragoxvi New member

Member since 13 July 2025

DragoxviNew member16 July 2025 19:15:44

Road rules are not respected but enforced.

Many local people love to watch F1 and they like to enjoy roads like a circuit.

Some people show a narcisistic behaviour on roads and they believe to be always right.

Do not bother to change their minds, they will become aggressive.

A Chinese friend of mine, she drove around Spain without an international or local driving license, when using her own Spanish car.

Local police stopped and apply a ticket of 500 鈧�. She knew a local police officer, she gave a phone call and this ticket was canceled and police officer had to meet her again and apologize about this mistake...

This country sometimes is a joke.

KDaly New member

Member since 30 April 2013

KDalyNew member24 July 2025 15:52:50

I鈥檝e always had a good experience while on road. Signals everywhere! Impossible to get lost! And also lots of roundabouts in smaller roads instead of levelled crossings, but it works!

Road mainteinance depends on the Comunidad Autonoma, so you can pass from a slightly rough road to a very well kept one. Navarra, Basque Country, La Rioja tend to have great roads, while Andaluc铆a, not so much!

Also, as there was no speed limit, people tend to go over the limit (everyone go faster than me, lol) on harvesting season, you can meet a tractor on the Nacional roads.

Most importantly the signs are slightly different form America: the red circle means NO and the red circle with a diagonal line means 鈥渆nd of the prohibition鈥�.聽 But once you learn them is not that difficult and the work for all EU countries.

In the city鈥� people tend to think they鈥檙e still聽 in their small towns, double parking everywhere to go to the grocery, bank, supermarket鈥� it鈥檚 frustrating!