New speed limits
Drivers will now be fined for exceeding new limit on conventional roads
FROM Tuesday, January 29, all conventional roads (those that have a lane in each direction) that had a speed limit of 100 kph will now have a maximum speed of 90 kph.
Over the past weeks, many of the 100-kph signs have been replaced by 90 kph signs, but no action was taken to fine drivers over the limit.
As from Tuesday, offenders will be fined.
In Alicante province, the speed limit change affects roads with heavy traffic such as the N332 from Pilar de la Horadada to Valencia, the N-340 on its sections between Orihuela, Crevillente, Elche and Alicante.
Lorry speed limits, to fall in line with the rest of Europe, have been all reduced on conventional roads to 80 kph, and coach speed limits have been reduced to 90 kph.
The speed limits now replaced, have been in force since the 80s, when the Spanish road network hardly had any motorways or dual carriageways.
The DGT traffic department wants to raise awareness amongst drivers that lowering their speed means less serious injuries in the case of accidents on these conventional roads, where precisely the majority of accidents involving cars spin off the road were caused by excessive speed.
DGTs latest campaign slogan is ’14 metres is nothing, but can make a great difference’, and it refers to vehicles when travelling at 90 kph need 70 metres to stop, while if travelling at 100 kph they require and extra 14 metres to come to a halt.
Maximum speeds on motorways and dual carriageways are now as follows:
120 kph for cars, pickups, motorbikes and motorhomes with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 3,500kgs or less.
100 kph for coaches, mini buses, and cars adapted for transporting merchandise or up to 9 passengers including the driver.
90 kph for lorries and articulated lorries, all vans, motorhomes with a MAM above 3,500 kgs, cars with trailers, rest of vehicles.
Maximum speeds on conventional roads have been reduced to:
90 kph for cars, pickups, motorbikes and motorhomes with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 3,500kgs or less.
90 kph for coaches, mini buses, and cars adapted for transporting merchandise or up to 9 passengers including the driver.
80 kph for lorries and articulated lorries, all vans, motorhomes with a MAM above 3,500 kgs, cars with trailers, rest of vehicles.
45 kph for bicycles and mopeds.