On Spanish roads we can find more than 400 different traffic signs. Many of these signs are very familiar to us because they are already part of the urban landscape: stop signs, prohibited direction, speed limitation… However, there are others that, although at the time we had to learn at the driving school when we were getting our license, It is very likely that today we do not remember their meaning because they are unusual on the roads we travel on.
One of these signs that, like all of them, includes the Traffic Regulations and can cause us doubts while driving, is in the shape of a rhombus. This fact in itself constitutes a rarity because the majority of signs that we usually find are round or triangular. The rhombus has a white outline delimited by another yellow rhombus in a central position.
The specific regulation of Vertical Signage 8.1-IC contained in the BOE of April 5, 2014, and in turn in the General Traffic Regulations in force today, attributes the code R-3 to this sign. It is included in section 5.2. which includes five other priority signs, including another in the shape of a diamond, identical to R-3, but with the particularity that a black stripe crosses it in the middle from right to left. It is signal R-4.
The family of priority signals is completed with others that are much better known. They are R-1 (give way), R-2 (mandatory stop or stop), R-5 (priority in the opposite direction) and R-6 (priority regarding the opposite direction). Although the signs in this section are only six, they are presented in five different formats: triangular (R-1), octagonal (R-2), rhombus (R-3 and R-4), round (R-5 ) and square (R-6).
Article 151 of the General Traffic Regulations defines the meaning of priority signs. Regarding R-3, it says the following: “Priority road. It indicates to the drivers of vehicles traveling on one road their priority at intersections over vehicles traveling on another road.” That is, when a motorist encounters this sign, he has the right of way over other vehicles that may appear at an intersection.
This sign, also popularly known as fried egg due to the combination and position of its colors, is unusual on Spanish roads. That’s why it’s a good idea to refresh your memory about its meaning and be alert in case you find it on your route.
To indicate that the priority indicated by signal R-3 ends, we can then find -although this is not always the case- with signal R-4, which is identical except that it is crossed by a black band. The RGC defines it as follows: “End of priority. It indicates the proximity in which the road on which one is driving loses its priority with respect to another road. Therefore, when we see the R-4 signal we must be prepared to give way to other vehicles traveling on the other road, when priority ends.
Signs like these remind us how important it is to review the meaning of traffic signs on a regular basis, as although some may seem unusual, understanding them is essential for safe and responsible driving. For this year, significant changes are expected to be implemented in the catalog of traffic signs, although the exact date is unknown since the Royal Decree that contemplates the modification of the General Traffic Regulations, initially scheduled for 2023, must first be approved.
