Tips for driving safely on motorways and dual carriageways

Driving on a motorway or dual carriageway increases safety on our journeys by road, and we are lucky that in Spain we have a good number of these types of roads to drive on. There are toll motorways, free motorways and dual carriageways, which are similar and are made up of two or more lanes per direction of travel and have special features to guarantee safety for the vehicles that travel on them.

In Spain there are some 16,000 kilometres of motorways and dual carriageways that are used by millions of drivers every day, but do we know how to drive on them correctly? Let’s review the correct way to drive on motorways and dual carriageways to increase safety on them.

Respect the speed limit

The minimum speed to drive on a motorway or dual carriageway is 80 km/h, as long as there is no limitation due to any type of congestion or force majeure. This allows traffic to flow more smoothly and these roads to be used correctly. However, the speed limit is 120 km/h, and although it may seem low for a fast road, it is set for several reasons. One is that not everyone drives at that maximum speed, and rear-end collisions can occur. An unexpected slowdown can also cause a very serious accident if a driver travelling at a higher speed does not have time to react. Furthermore, even if there is a maximum speed limit, it is not necessary to reach those 120 km/h and you can drive at a lower speed, as long as you do not drive below 80 km/h.

Respect the safety distance

The safety distance is important to maintain safety on motorways and dual carriageways. They are fast roads, which means that vehicles travel at high speeds. The reaction to the behaviour of the vehicle in front must be appropriate, and if the safety distance is not respected, an accident can occur. You must not tailgate the vehicle in front, and you must always leave enough distance to be able to react to any change on the road.

Signal all manoeuvres

This is essential both on the open road and in town. You must warn the other drivers on the road of all the manoeuvres you are going to make. Indicators must be used to signal any lane change, when taking an exit or whenever necessary. You must adjust your speed so that other drivers are aware of your intentions, and always use your indicators.

Do not use the left lane if the right one is free

This is quite an ingrained habit: using the left lane when the lane furthest to the right is free. Sometimes it is done to avoid coming across vehicles travelling at a lower speed, or that are about to take an exit from the motorway or dual carriageway, or simply because one feels like going that way. This is not only a mistake, but can also lead to a penalty.

The driver is obliged to drive in the right-hand lane whenever possible and to keep the left lane free for overtaking. If you drive in this lane without reason, it can result in a fine of 200 euros. In addition, there is also an obligation to overtake on the left, not on the right. If you come across a car travelling in the left lane, you may not pass it on the right.

The driver who wants to overtake must use a lane further to the left than the vehicle in front, if there are more than two lanes per direction of travel. If this is not possible, you must get behind the vehicle in front and signal the overtaking manoeuvre with flashes of light so that it moves into the right-hand lane. Always, of course, maintaining the necessary safety distance. If the overtaking were carried out on the right, it could result in a serious penalty. The reason is that the car may move into the right-hand lane without warning and leave us facing a serious problem.