British tourists urged to watch for new red lines while driving on Spanish roads

driving in have been urged to look out for new signage on the country’s roads – a continuous red line. In its commitment to improving road safety, the Spanish Directorate General for Traffic (DGT) has introduced this new type of signage – which complements the traditional white line – in an attempt to reduce the number of accidents in particularly dangerous areas. 

The red line seeks to reinforce the ban on overtaking in critical sections. It is hoped that the striking colour will act as an additional warning element which is intended to more effectively capture the attention of drivers in areas where overtaking is strictly prohibited. The implementation of this new road marking results from a thorough analysis of the accident rate on conventional roads, where the highest number of serious accidents occur, according to a report from the . 

British tourists will need to be on their guard if travelling to Spain soon, as the pilot project is already implemented in various locations across the country. They have been chosen for this initial installation based on studies of behaviour of drivers and accident statitics. 

For example, road markings have been introduced on the 26-mile A-355 road near Coin, , close to Marbella. This stretch of road has been dubbed the “highway of death” and has seen 10 fatalities in the past 12 months, according to . 

Despite previous efforts to improve safety on the highway, including modified guardrails and increased signage, accidents have continued to plague the A-355 since its opening a decade ago.

Initially designed to handle 7,000 vehicles per day, the road now sees nearly 20,000, including a significant number of heavy goods vehicles.

The new red line in Spain is equal to a double continuous white line in the UK, which also indicates that overtaking is not permitted, especially on roads with blind bends or hills where overtaking could be dangerous. 

When the nearest line to you is broken, Rule 128 of the says you may cross the lines to overtake if safe and you can complete the manoeuvre before reaching a solid white line on your side. 

The Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE) has issued a reminder that breaking the overtaking ban, regardless of the colour of the continuous line, can result in of up to €400 (£340) and the loss of four points on a driving licence.

This penalty is provided for in the General Traffic Regulations and is applied with the same severity to both the white line and the new red line. 

The introduction of the red line is part of a broader plan to improve road safety that includes various complementary measures, which also include the installation of new section radars, the reinforcement of awareness campaigns and a greater presence of agents on secondary roads.