As with most countries in continental Europe, motorists stay on the right hand side of the road when driving in Spain. You are no doubt aware of this but always double check when you start a journey that you are on the correct side, a lifetime of driving on the left can be a difficult habit to break! Our LHD cars page has details about the range of left hand drive vehicles we can source for you.

Also as you are technically sitting on the wrong side if you drive a right hand drive car in Spain, you should be extra careful when overtaking because your view of the road ahead may be impaired.

The Spanish driving laws are generally enforced strictly by the police so it is best to be well prepared before you start out. You can be subject to on the spot fines for any driving offence, knowing all the Spanish driving laws could save you an unexpected expense.

Speed Limits In Spain

Speed limits are well enforced in Spain so we recommend that you know what the speed limit is for the road you are driving on and stick to it at all times.

• Motorway 120 km/h / 74 mph

• Open Road 90 km/h / 55 mph

• Town 50 km/h / 31 mph

The drink driving limit is lower in Spain, 0.5 mgs per ml of blood, it is 0.8 in the UK. For this reason the best course of action is to avoid drinking alcohol all together if you are going to be driving.

As you may expect wearing seatbelts in both the front and rear seats is compulsory at all times. Children under the age of 12 may not travel in the front seat unless they wear a suitable seat belt adapter.

You will find that the laws for driving in Spain are similar to those in the UK but there are some other slight differences which you should be aware of. If you are driving a right hand drive car then headlamp converting stickers are compulsory. All cars must carry visibility vests, you should aim to have one for each passenger if possible. You must also carry a warning triangle in your car in case you break down. In addition you are required to have a spare set of bulbs for your car's headlights.

You should always carry your driving license when driving in Spain. If you still hold an old style, green paper license it is best to carry your passport as well. Also you should display a GB sticker unless you have Euro number plates which already show your nationality.

If you familiarise yourself with these rules and stick to them then you should find driving in Spain to be a pleasurable experience. Please contact us if you would like any information about our left hand drive car sourcing services.

International Driving Pages

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