Chapter 3: Speed
1. Types of speed
Appropriate speed: adapting your speed to traffic conditions, visibility, the road, the condition of the vehicle and the driver (this would be like the perfect speed).
Inappropriate speed: not adapting your speed to the circumstances. This is very risky.
Excessive speed: exceeding the speed limits of the road.
Speed limit: the maximum speed allowed on the road.
Reduced speed: low speed due to dangerous conditions.
Minimum speed: the minimum speed allowed on the road.
Abnormally reduced speed: traveling below the minimum speed without justification is prohibited. Traffic, weather or emergencies may justify it. Keep right; vehicles up to 3500kg MAM must use a suitable shoulder if an emergency makes them abnormally slow and seriously disrupts traffic.
Design speed: the maximum safe speed that can be maintained over a section of road in favourable conditions.
2. Effects of high speed
- Reduces the visual field (tunnel vision)
- Increases aggressiveness and fatigue
- Difficult to control the vehicle
- Decreases your ability to anticipate and react
3. Speed should be reduced in:
- Places where there are children, elderly, blind people or animals nearby
- Unregulated pedestrian crossing
- Areas where you do not have right of way, such as intersections, level crossings and roundabouts
- Bad weather conditions, slippery pavement or when there is possibility of glare
- In areas of low visibility or narrow spaces
- When approaching a stopped bus
4. Hazards of exceeding speed:
Urban limits are generally 20, 30 or 50 km/h, depending on the road. Excess speed is dangerous because:
- The road is shared by other drivers and pedestrians with the same rights
- Higher impact speed greatly increases the risk of fatal injury to pedestrians
- Lower speed reduces stopping distance and gives more time to avoid a collision
90-100km/h on conventional roads because:
- You may be faced with cars in from of you when overtaking
- Animals, pedestrians or other vehicles may appear suddenly by the side of the road
120km/h on motorways or dual carriageways because:
- In an accident, the chance of survival of the occupants of the vehicle is lower
- It is more difficult to control any type of manoeuvre or unexpected situation
5. Speed chart
Generic maximum speeds outside built-up areas (km/h):
| Vehicle | Motorway / autovía | Conventional road |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars, motorcycles, pick-ups and motorhomes up to 3500kg MAM | 120 | 90 |
| Buses, car-derived vehicles and adaptable mixed vehicles | 100 | 90 |
| Trucks, tractor units, vans, motorhomes over 3500kg MAM, articulated vehicles and cars with trailers | 90 | 80 |
Buses without seat belts or carrying authorised standing passengers: maximum 80 km/h on every road outside built-up areas, including motorways/autovías; any lower applicable limit still applies. Unpaved roads: maximum 30 km/h.
Urban roads: 20 km/h where pavement and carriageway share one level; 30 km/h with one lane per direction; 50 km/h with at least two. Reserved lanes do not count. Municipalities may set lower limits or exceptionally sign up to 50 km/h on one-lane-per-direction roads. A signed living and play area (S-28) has a 10 km/h limit and pedestrian priority.
Differences between conventional highways with 100 km/h and 90km/h speed limit:
| 100km/h speed limit | 90km/h speed limit |
|
|
6. Other speeds:
Outside built-up areas, the generic maximum for the vehicle is reduced by 10 km/h for school/minor transport and vehicles carrying dangerous goods.
Motorways and autovías within built-up areas: 80 km/h, unless another lawful limit is signed. Cross-town roads (travesías): 50 km/h, unless a lower limit is signed.
Motor tricycles and heavy quadricycles: 70 km/h outside built-up areas where permitted; three-wheeled vehicles legally treated as motorcycles follow motorcycle limits.
2- and 3-wheeled mopeds and light quadricycles: 45km/h
Motorcycles, three-wheeled vehicles and mopeds towing an authorised trailer: reduce the generic speed by 10%; towing is allowed only by day with good visibility, with no passengers in the trailer and a trailer mass no more than 50% of the towing vehicle’s unladen mass. Urban rules are set locally.
Dangerous-goods vehicles: maximum 40 km/h on urban roads with at least two lanes per direction and on travesías; obey lower limits elsewhere.
Special vehicles (tractors):
- Normally 40km/h; up to 70km/h only if able to exceed 60km/h on the level and meeting the required technical conditions
- If it is pulling a trailer and/or is a tiller and/or has no brake lights, the maximum speed is 25km/h
Minimum speeds: Motor vehicles on motorways/autovías normally at least 60 km/h; on other roads, half the applicable generic maximum, unless justified conditions require less.
Overtaking: There is no extra 20 km/h allowance. Outside built-up areas, before and throughout overtaking pedestrians, animals, animal-drawn vehicles, mopeds, VMP or cyclists, keep at least 20 km/h below the road limit and leave at least 1.5 metres laterally; change lanes completely where there is more than one lane per direction.
On all roads, the same 20 km/h reduction and 1.5-metre clearance apply when passing a vehicle immobilised by breakdown, accident, emergency, assistance, maintenance or traffic-management work and occupying all or part of your lane.
