Brits driving in Spain warned over strict new red line road rule with hefty fine

British tourists driving in Spain will need to be aware of a new red line on the country's roads - which comes with a hefty fine for anyone who breaks it

British tourists driving in Spain will need to be aware of a new road marking which comes with a hefty fine for anyone who breaks it.

The Spanish Directorate General for Traffic (DGT) is rolling out a continuous red line on the country's roads to improve safety.

It aims to reduce the number of accidents in high-risk areas by signalling that vehicles cannot cross over in critical sections of the road.

The striking colour is meant to serve as an additional warning to grab drivers' attention in areas where overtaking is forbidden.

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the introduction of this new marking follows the analysis of accident figures on conventional roads.

Despite the efforts to improve safety, the statistics show that the highest number of serious accidents occur on these types of roads.

British tourists planning to visit Spain soon should know that the pilot project is already underway in various locations across the country, selected based on studies of driver behaviour and accident statistics.

For instance, the 26-mile A-355 road near Coin, Malaga, close to Marbella, has been marked with the new signage.

This stretch of road, dubbed the "highway of death", has seen ten fatalities in the past 12 months.

Despite previous attempts to enhance safety, including the modification of guardrails and increased signage, accidents have been a persistent occurrence on the A-355 since its inauguration ten years ago.

Originally built to accommodate 7,000 vehicles daily, the road now experiences nearly triple that number, with a significant proportion being heavy goods vehicles.

Spain's new red line is the equivalent of the UK's double continuous white line, which also denotes that overtaking is prohibited, particularly on roads with blind bends or hills where such manoeuvres could be hazardous, reports the Express.

According to Rule 128 of the Highway Code, when the closest line to you is broken, you may cross the lines to overtake if it's safe and you can complete the action before reaching a solid white line on your side.

The Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE) has highlighted that in Spain, any violation of the overtaking ban, regardless of the colour of the continuous line, is met with a corresponding penalty of up to €400 (£340) and the deduction of four points from a driving licence.

This penalty is stipulated in the General Traffic Regulations and applies equally to both the white line and the new red line.

The introduction of the red line is part of a wider strategy to boost road safety, which includes the installation of new section radars, increased presence of officers on secondary roads, and a campaign to advise drivers on safe driving practices.