It is likely that since you went to driving school to prepare to get your driving license, you have seen new traffic signs on the road that you did not have to learn to pass the theory test. Periodically, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) updates the signs to adapt to changes in road regulations, incorporate technological innovations or improve road safety, so you are sure to be caught by surprise behind the wheel at some point.
But the most common thing is that, even if you don’t know the meaning of the new signs, they are clear enough to know what you should do to respect them. For example, this is what happens with the traffic signs that appear in the renewed catalog of the DGT that is expected to come into force later this year. Although they are not known by most drivers, they are easy to interpret, so it is to be hoped that they will not cause any inconvenience to anyone.
The same thing happens with road markings. The evolution of road infrastructure and traffic regulation needs lead to the introduction of new road signs. These pavement markings are essential to guide drivers, indicate restrictions, caution zones and provide key information to maintain a safe and orderly flow of traffic.
If you usually drive on interurban roads, you may have passed through sections where the road is delimited by two longitudinal white lines separated by a larger red stripe. This is a new road marking that is beginning to be seen on some conventional roads, which are those with the highest number of accidents, to increase the lateral distance between vehicles traveling in the opposite direction.
According to the DGT in its publications, by introducing an intermediate strip of separation of directions, the effective lane width is reduced, “inducing the driver to have a perception of the road and his driving that naturally makes him travel at a lower speed.” This strip also reinforces the feeling of road safety and “prevents drivers from entering the wrong direction.”
The measure is aimed at reducing frontal and frontolateral accidents, which in 2023 caused 361 fatalities on Spanish roads. The number of people killed in head-on collisions decreased by 9% compared to the previous year.
Traffic establishes that the separation strips of directions can be applied on single carriageway roads to calm traffic along a route, reduce the probability of frontal or frontal-lateral collisions and reinforce the prohibition of overtaking. Likewise, it also recommends its execution to increase the driver’s alertness when approaching a particularly dangerous road element, so the motorist must exercise extreme caution while driving.
To reinforce the effectiveness of these road markings, the General Directorate of Traffic recommends “having sound guides” milled or highlighted, either in the central space or on the white road markings, to alert the driver of an involuntary detour. These sound guides produce two different sounds when vehicles pass over them: one inside the vehicle to warn the driver that he is leaving his lane, and another outside that can be heard from outside the vehicle.
