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Speed limits in Spain

Spain has different speed limits for every kind of road and vehicle.

History of changes

There were no speed limits on Spanish motorways until a generic limit of was instated in 1973 in order to save fuel during the 1973 energy crisis. It was lowered to to prevent accidents, but raised again in 1992 to . Proposals to raise the speed limit to have so far been rejected.

In 2011 from 7 March through 30 June, in order to save fuel due to the ongoing Arab Spring, the maximum speed limit in Spain was reduced from to .

On 29 January 2019, the speed limit was reduced from to on single-lane rural roads.

Standard motorway speed limit

On Motorways and autovías:

Bicycles and mopeds are not allowed to access a motorway, although only bicycles (not mopeds) may ride on the shoulders of autovías.

Standard interurban rural roads speed limit

  • for cars, buses and motorbikes
  • for vans, trucks and vehicles with a trailer, or campers weighing more than
  • for bicycles and mopeds

Specific speed limits

On all non-urban roads and motorways, school buses and vehicles containing contaminant, explosive or flammable materials must decrease their speed limit by .

On motorways, a minimum speed limit of is mandatory for all vehicles. Minimum speeds on other roads are one half of the generic speed limit for every vehicle. If a posted speed limit sign is below this value, the minimum speed is the posted limit minus .

No legal sanction is established for driving at a measured speed within 3 to 10 percent over the speed limit, depending on the specific error margin of the radar.

Built-up areas

Built-up areas:

  • on urban roads with two lanes per direction
  • on urban roads with one lane per direction
  • on urban roads shared with pedestrians

References