SPAIN’S traffic authority, the DGT, has unleashed a new weapon on drivers who can’t keep their distance – radars that don’t care how fast you’re going, only how close you’re tailgating.
If the new cameras catch you cosying up to the car in front on a motorway or dual carriageway, you’ll be slapped with a €200 fine and lose four points off your licence.
These new ‘proximity radars’ are here to stop rear-end shunts before they happen. The DGT says you need to leave at least 70 metres between you and the car ahead – that’s about the length of a blue whale, or three bendy buses if you prefer.
The new rule comes as part of Spain’s first major road sign overhaul since 2003, bringing in updated signs, smarter tech, and automated fines.
Enter the S991f – a brand-new warning sign telling you Big Brother’s watching, and he’s got a tape measure.
This isn’t just red tape for fun – 78 people died and 273 were seriously injured on Spanish motorways last year due to pile-ups and tailgating crashes.
And it’s not just about obeying signs – it’s physics. At 120km/h (75mph), it takes over 80 metres to stop, and that’s after you’ve already taken a second to hit the brakes.
There’s a few tricks to help you keep your distance:
- 2-second rule: Pick a marker on the road – if you pass it less than 2 seconds after the car ahead, you’re too close.
- Asphalt arrows: Some roads have handy distance markers.
- Tech to the rescue: Many new cars come with adaptive cruise control to do the maths for you.
- Or go old-school with the ‘square rule’ – square your speed, knock off the last digit, and that’s the number of metres you need to leave. At 120km/h, that’s 144 metres. Sorted.
But one major problem could be if someone swerves in front of you right before the radar, you might still get done.
The DGT hasn’t confirmed whether the tech knows who’s really to blame – so if you’re suddenly boxed in, you’d better pray the camera sees your innocence.
And in case you thought you could breeze through STOP signs too – think again. New high-tech STOP signs will now dish out fines automatically if you don’t obey.
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