The Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic insists it is a ‘critical component of road safety’ so that other road users are aware of any manoeuvres you are about to do. Failing to properly indicate could see holiday makers slapped with a €200, or £170, fine as law enforcement officers get tough on offenders. Not only that, but being too slow to use your indicators before changing direction could land tourists with a minimum €80, or £68, fine.
And now, According to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), Spain is set to cut its drink driving limit by more than half. Currently, the limit is 0.05% BAC (blood alcohol content) or 0.03% BAC for new drivers or those who are driving for work. The UK limit is 0.08% BAC. The effects of alcohol vary from person to person, depending on factors such as metabolism, and men can generally drink more than women before hitting the limit.
Further information from the Foreign and CommonwealthOffice includes advice such as: You need to carry your UK driving licence with you.
You do not need an international driving permit (IDP) to visit and drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
You might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway if you have:
a paper driving licence
a licence that was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
You will not need an IDP to drive when visiting Ireland if you have a UK driving licence.
You can get an IDP in person from certain shops that have PayPoint.
An IDP costs £5.50 and drivers must:
be a resident of Great Britain or Northern Ireland
have a full UK driving licence
be 18 or over
Insurance for your vehicle, caravan or trailer
All UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third party cover to drive in the EU (including Ireland).
You do not need to carry a green card when you drive in the EU (including Ireland), Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, or Switzerland. You still need valid vehicle insurance.
Vehicle registration documents
If you’re taking your vehicle to the EU for less than 12 months, carry one of the following documents:
your vehicle log book (V5C), if you have one
a VE103 to show you’re allowed to use your hired or leased vehicle abroad
Trailer registration
You need to register some commercial and non-commercial trailers before towing them to or through most EU and EEA countries.
UK stickers and number plates
You must display the UK identifier when driving a UK-registered vehicle abroad.
If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.
However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:
a GB identifier with the Union flag
a Euro symbol
a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier
If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.
You do not need a UK sticker or identifier to drive in Ireland.
What to do if you’re involved in a road accident
If you’re involved in a road accident in an EU country, you should, in the first instance, contact your insurance provider.
Any legal proceedings against either the responsible driver or the insurance provider of the vehicle will need to be brought in the EU or EEA country where the accident happened. You might have to make your claim in the local language.
You will not get compensation in some countries if the accident is caused by an uninsured driver or if the driver cannot be traced.
10 comments
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There's accidents and drunk drivers every weekend on the freeway at night, I see it always it's fking terrifying. Bring Uber and competition to Mallorca, not a single local will pay 70€ for one way taxi ride....
I have observed many driving instructors here in Mallorca teaching their clients to use the RHS lane to go 3/4 way round the roundabout- and with no indication! And you give way to the RIGHT in a RHS drive country, and give way to the LEFT in a LHS drive country - simple! Anyway, why isn't there an EU highway code / driving test - thought they were supposed to have streamlined everything!!!
If you want to reduce people who drink and drive then expand Uber - simple.
Julie SmithYou must only leave the roundabout from the outside lane. Now you might think it’s obvious to say ‘only leave from the outside lane’ but what it means is you shouldn’t cut across the outside lane straight to the exit. What you’re supposed to do is move to the outside lane first, in plenty of time before the exit, then you’re in the correct lane to take the exit properly. This rule, combined with which lane you’re supposed to be in to approach the roundabout (and how you’re supposed to use your indicators) is the reason why there are so many accidents. Here’s a burning question, which lane should you be in when approaching the roundabout? Technically speaking, the right hand lane is the driving lane, and any lanes on the left of it are for overtaking, which also means that the inside lane of the roundabout should only be for overtaking too because it’s the left hand lane. Imagine that the curve of the roundabout is just a continuation of the road, then all that makes sense. You just use the right hand lane, then turn off to your right when you get to your exit. But, in practise (and also in the guidelines given out by the police) you’re advised to approach the roundabout in the right hand lane if you’re heading for the first or second exit, but if you’re taking the third or fourth exit, you’re advised to move into the left hand lane as you approach the roundabout. This can also act as a signal to other drivers of which exit you intend to use. Then, like I said before, as you’re going round the roundabout, you move into the outside lane ready to exit. If there’s no space to do that because of other vehicles taking up the outside lane, the correct thing to do is keep on going round the roundabout until you can move outwards safely. Of course what happens in practise is that some drivers approach in the left hand lane and cut straight across to go straight on. And usually they’re the ones going too fast to stop if someone joining from the right pulls out. That’s when the big accidents happen.
Bryan Adamsdon't understand. So when you're at a roundabout with 2 lanes, left and right, you go in the right hand lane to go left?? So whatis the left hand lane used for? ??
Julie SmithRight hand lane has priority, it is the law
How about the police coming down hard on people using phones whilst driving? It is blatant, there was a guy driving a classic soft top texting whilst driving a few days ago in San Augustin. Nobody thinks they'll be penalised for it. Extremely dangerous and totally unnecessary...
I'll believe that Mallorcan drivers will take on the massive work load involved in using an indicator when I see evidence of it! As for roundabouts don't start me! What is strange to me is that the driving test here is really difficult to pass (well it was for me anyway and involved learning a whole new way to drive) but the standard of driving is as bad as any of the 30+ countries I've got behind the wheel in. Very strange.
In my 15 years driving experience in Majorca where I drive for at least 8 weeks a year, it's not the tourists that need retraining, it's the locals! it drives me to distraction that indicators are never used and don't get me started on the positioning at roundabouts i.e in right hand lane to go left! I've often wondered what they are taught when learning to drive
All good. Doesn't ruin my life one jot and , hopefully, stops others from driving under the influence which is a danger to me on the roads.