TRAVELLING BY ROAD

In recent years major motorway construction covering over 8,000km has been completed. Some are spectacular roads passing through mountains, across valleys, rivers or ravines. Madrid is now connected to all its provincial capitals by fast road communication, and it is also possible to drive from France to Gibraltar by motorway. It fact it will soon be possible to drive by motorway from Perth in Scotland to Lisbon in Portugal through France and Spain. Some of the newer motorways are toll roads (autopistas de peajes) which can be expensive.

Driving is still an enjoyable experience in many rural areas (outside the Spanish holiday time of August) when it is possible to drive for hours without seeing another motorist. Driving in Spain’s major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona is no different from other major cities in Europe and is not for the faint-hearted.

Unfortunately, Spain has one of the worst accident records in Europe with over 5,500 deaths and over 1.6 million accidents per annum. Around 40% of fatal accidents involve drivers over the alcohol limit. Spanish motorists do drive ridiculously fast.

Roads

Spain’s motorways are known as autopistas (A roads) or autovias (E for European roads). Both are characterised by distinctive blue signposting. Autopistas are toll roads found on some short sections of motorway which have been built by commercial contractors or for expensive shortcuts over difficult terrain.

Other major roads in Spain are identified by the sign Red de Carreteras del Estado (State Road Network) being Carreteras Nacionales and signified by the letter N on maps. These roads tend to be busy, single lane roads, often taking traffic more suited to toll roads. Secondary routes are the narrower Carreteras Comarcales (letter C), and minor roads, Carretera Autonomica are denoted by the initials of the province followed by a number.

On major roads each kilometre is marked with a number which represents the distance radiating from Madrid or, in the case of provinces, the distance from a provincial capital. These kilometre markers are often used as convenient meeting points or to establish the location of a building or even a postal address.

Speed limits are:

Autopistas	120 km/h
Autovias	120 km/h
Carreteras Nacionales	90 km/h
Carreteras Comarcales	60 km/h
Vias Urbanas	50 km/h, or as signposted.

Driving differences

The most obvious is, of course, driving on the right-hand side of the road. There are other differences:

• Going around roundabouts in an anti-clockwise direction.
• If going in the opposite direction to that desired on a motorway, it is possible to leave the motorway and change direction when the sign Cambio de Sentido appears.
• When trying to turn left on a busy road, it may be necessary to turn right first and then cross the carriageway.
• The sequence of traffic lights (semaforos) is red, green, amber and back to red.
• Two flashing amber lights means ‘slow down, danger ahead’.
• Respect the narrow inside lane, it is for scooters.
• All vehicle documents (or copies) such as insurance details, car registration and technical ITV (see page 170) sheets should be kept in the car for inspection by police if so required.
• Motorists must carry two approved red warning triangles, a full set of spare bulbs and fuses and a reflective vest. It is advisable (but not mandatory) to carry a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit.

One pleasing difference is the cost of fuel. Gasolina (petrol), gasoleo (diesel). and gasolina sin plomo (unleaded petrol) are available everywhere at prices about 35% below the most expensive European prices. The number of filling stations is increasing rapidly. Filling stations also sell newspapers, food and snacks.

Motorway services vary in standard and frequency. On new autovias they are of a high quality and are open 24 hours per day. On older roads, the unsuspecting driver will be directed to a town or village where fuel, food. toilets and sometimes beds are available.

Purchasing a new car

The market for purchasing new cars is similar across Europe. Large dealers sell new and some second-hand cars at competitive prices with a good after-sales service. Since all dealerships are monitored by car manufacturers, their service is efficient, well organised and, above all, reputable.

Given Spain’s geographical location and the presence of large car manufacturing plants in Valencia, the popular brands are Seat and Ford. French products come next. Quality German cars are always popular and the market penetration of small Far Eastern cars is high. New cars are more expensive in Spain than in many other EU countries, but they depreciate at a slower rate. Spanish-made cars are generally cheaper than imported cars as a result of tax differentials.

Purchasing a used car

Regrettably the second-hand car market does not enjoy a good reputation, with the usual unsavoury dealers in evidence, some of whom are British. Fortunately the quality of a modern second-hand car is high. It is price, poor administration, lack of customer service and dishonesty which gives this market its poor reputation. The Spanish market for second-hand cars is unusual as a large number of one-year-old rental cars, with relatively low mileage, are sold through second-hand outlets. Trade-ins from new sales dealerships are also sold through second-hand outlets.

There is also another source of used cars – the small ads in weekly newspapers. For first-time buyers in Spain the advice is to tread carefully. The risk of a poor product or incorrect paperwork is too great. A simple agreement should be drawn up to sell a car privately. It should contain factual details of the buyer, the seller, and details of the car, the price and form of payment, the date and appropriate signatures. Proof of sale documents should be stamped at Jefatura Provincial de Trafico (provincial traffic office) to exempt the seller from future fines, accidents or taxes which the buyer may incur.

Car registration

Spanish registration plates consist of four digits followed by three letters. It is no longer possible to tell where the car is from, or its age, from the number plate. However, there are still many cars on the road with the old style registration plate which consists of one or two letters denoting the province where the vehicle is registered followed by four digits and two more letters indicating the age of the car.

The original registration remains permanently with a car unless it is reregistered. If buying a second-hand car in Spain, it’s best to buy one with the new style registration or one registered in the province where you live.

The vehicle registration document is in two parts. One lists details of the car and one details of the owner. The details of the car do not alter whereas, obviously, the section giving details of the owner changes each time there is a change of ownership.

Transfer of ownership

When a second-hand car is purchased from a private individual it will need to be registered within ten days of purchase. When selling a car privately it is important to ensure the transfer is completed correctly by the new owner. Rather like debts on a property, as long as the previous owner is still registered he or she is liable for any parking tickets, road tax and accident claims.

It is a procedure for which many people use a gestor, as a visit to a provincial capital and the infamous Jefatura Provincial de Trafico office is necessary. This Spanish department has a reputation for being difficult with complex procedures. It is one of the worst examples of Spanish bureaucracy.

Transfer tax

A transfer tax is levied on the sale of a second-hand car, it is called Impuesto Sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales y Actos Juridicos Documentados and is charged at 4% of the fiscal value. The fiscal value of a new car is decided by the tax office. The fiscal value is reduced each year until it is ten years old, when it is reduced to 10% of the new value. The tax is the responsibility of the buyer, but as the seller actually pays it. most sellers include the tax in the sales price. This tax is declared on form compraventa de vehiculos usados entre particulares obtained from the hacienda and paid to the provincial tax office of the regional government within 30 days of selling.

De-registering

De-registering a car is called baja de matricula. This form is again obtained from trafico and must have attached a receipt for the current year’s municipal vehicle tax. It can be used when scrapping an old vehicle, or if a vehicle is stolen. As an incentive to encourage scrapping an old car, the government will reduce new car registration tax by 480§ to 720§.

Six month temporary stay

Genuine tourists and visitors are permitted to bring to Spain a foreign-registered car, but it is not permitted to stay for longer than six months in any one year. Driving a foreign-registered car temporarily in Spain requires appropriate insurance and a national identity sticker on the back of the car as well as the national requirements listed earlier. The headlights need to be adjusted. In case of an accident, the insurance certificate, the driver’s licence and a passport need to be kept handy. Permanently driving a right-hand drive car in Spain is not a good idea, but if kept for more than six months in any year it should be tested and re-registered as a Spanish car.

This six month period is based on the stay of the person rather than the stay of the car. Six months is the length a tourist can stay. A car can remain in Spain more than six months, but it cannot be legally driven. It is of course common knowledge many citizens of other EU countries live full time in Spain without obtaining a residence card and still operate their cars with foreign plates. While the police may turn a blind eye to the movement of EU citizens, foreign-plated cars are viewed as a safety hazard since they may have no roadworthiness certification.

Driving licence

Tourists visiting Spain and driving either their own car or a Spanish rental car can do so with a licence issued in their home country. An international licence issued in the home country would be better as the standard format can be more easily identified by the authorities.

Since 1996 a Spanish resident from another EU country can drive in Spain with the original, home country licence for as long as it is valid, with no obligation to take out a Spanish licence. However if the holder is a resident in Spain and not opting to obtain a Spanish driving licence, it is still legally necessary to present the UK licence to the Jefatura Provincial de Trafico where the details are computerised. But the licence will have an old address, and for a new resident of Spain it is better to exchange it for a Spanish one. If anything goes wrong it makes life just that little bit easier. It can reduce problems at roadside checks.

Since 2004 holders of EU photo card driving licences can drive legally in Spain without the need to register or exchange that licence. If the licence bears a previous UK address, drivers should always carry proof of their residence in Spain when they have lived in the country for more than six months.

Road tax

All Spanish registered vehicles are liable for road tax (impuesto municipal sobre vehiculos de traccion mechanica). The tax is based on potencia fiscal – the horsepower of the car. Tax levels are set by individual municipalities and do vary from place to place, with Barcelona the highest. Budget around 160§ per year for a small family size car. Payment is at the local town hall, or to a sub-contracted collection agency such as SUMA, during a published time window after which a surcharge is applied. Unlike many other countries, a tax disk is not placed inside the windscreen. Some people have avoided paying this tax for years but it catches up with them, complete with fines, when a copy of the last receipt is required upon selling or scrapping a car which, incidentally, is an explanation as to why so many abandoned vehicles litter the countryside.

Technical inspection of vehicles

When a car is four years old, a bi-annual vehicle inspection, known as an ITV is necessary. Its equivalent in the UK is an MOT. When a car is passed, a sticker is placed inside the windscreen. After ten years an annual inspection is required. If a vehicle fails a test, 15 days are allowed to have it repaired and re-tested.

The ITV test is only valid for vehicles registered in Spain. It has no value in other EU countries. A car registered in another EU country must be tested in accordance with the laws of the country where it is registered.

Accidents

Spain has one of the highest road accident rates in Europe. A high volume of foreign drivers is one reason. Speed and alcohol are other major reasons. Spanish drivers are similar to the Italians and French – they often drive in a fast, aggressive manner and frequently take frightening risks. Overtaking, irrespective of speed limits or traffic conditions is a common cause of accidents. Damaged wing mirrors tell of a failure to judge small gaps.

A ‘normal’ Spanish car has scratched bumpers. Nothing is more frustrating than the constant bumps a car is subjected to in parking lots. There is a total disregard for the wellbeing of someone else’s vehicle. For Spanish drivers, it seems bumpers are designed to be scratched.

For new drivers to Spain it is best to regard all drivers as totally unpredictable and drive cautiously. In Madrid, traffic lights are instructions; in Alicante, traffic lights are suggestions; in Pedreguer, they are Christmas decorations!

Drinking and driving

Despite the high accident rate, drunken driving does not create the same social stigma as it does in many other European countries. Random breath tests can be carried out by the police at any time. Motorists who are involved in accidents, or who infringe motoring regulations are routinely given alcohol and drug tests. The limit is low: when blood alcohol concentration exceeds 25mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (15mg for drivers with less than two years experience or professional drivers) which is about two glasses of wine taken with some food. Drunk driving can result in a fine of up to 602§, suspension of a driving licence and even imprisonment for up to six months. Drivers who refuse to take a breath test are liable to a prison sentence of six months to one year. In either case a period of community service may be an alternative to a jail sentence. An accident while under the influence of alcohol can result in an insurance being immediately suspended meaning the non-payment of repairs, medical expenses and other damages.

Car insurance

Visitors to Spain for a short term tourist stay and driving a foreign-registered car, require insurance. This is a green card, as the international insurance certificate is known. Conversely visitors to the UK, driving a Spanish registered car will also require a green card. In the UK a green card is requested from an insurance company, while in Spain it is automatically issued with the annual certificate. Since there are no longer any border posts, a green card is really a notification to the insurance company of travel abroad rather than a permit to enter a country – many UK insurance companies no longer issue them.

Spanish law. like that in all other EU countries, demands that all vehicles be fully insured for minimum third-party damage. Basic types of car insurance are available similar to those in the UK. There are some notable differences, however, both positive and negative. For example, vehicle recovery in the event of breakdown is normally covered, but protection for passengers may be an extra charge.

Many UK companies operate in the Spanish car insurance market. It is therefore quite easy to obtain car insurance by phone and in English. Understanding the type of cover and possible extras presents little difficulty. Car insurance is relatively cheap. Around 450§ per year for a new car, fully comprehensive, off road parking, four years no claims for a middle-aged driver, a small excess, breakdown cover and any other driver approved by the insured.

Parking fines

No one pays a parking fine. It is a relatively small charge. Pursuing payment results in high municipality costs. People know this and take advantage of the situation. Responsible residents are allowed 15 days to pay or formally protest a fine. A fine may be increased if not paid within a prescribed period.

Random document checks

The police often set up check points stopping motorists randomly to check their identification and car papers. A passport or residencia, a driving licence, vehicle registration papers (permiso de circulacion) and insurance certificate should be kept with the car. Since this is impracticable, it is better to make a copy of the papers and keep them in the glove box. In law it is no longer necessary to carry originals.

Multas

On-the-spot fines (multas) of up to 302§ can be imposed on non-residents for a range of minor traffic offences such as speeding, not being in possession of car papers, and not wearing a seat belt. The list is not exclusive. The police may escort a non-resident to a bank or location where the money can be obtained. A resident is not required to pay on the spot fines, only non-residents who could be untrustworthy, fleeing the country without paying.