Holidaymakers driving in Spain warned of new road rule and £340 fine

The Spanish Directorate General for Traffic (DGT) has introduced the red line road signs to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents in dangerous areas.

Holidaymakers driving in Spain are being warned of a new road rule that could see them hit with a hefty fine and points on their licence.

The Spanish Directorate General for Traffic (DGT) has been rolling out the red line road signs to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents in dangerous areas.

The move has seen the DGT diversify the traditional white line found on roads in an effort to cut the accident rate in high-risk areas of the country.

The purpose of the red line is to reinforce the no-overtaking rule in stretches of road where it is particularly dangerous, with the eye-catching colour serving as an enhanced warning mechanism to grab drivers' attention more effectively.

Its introduction follows an analysis of accident figures which revealed that conventional roads are hotspots for the most serious collisions, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin report.

Motorists from Britain who are visiting Spain for the festive season should be aware of the fresh piece of road signage.

A pilot project has already seen the red line being introduced in select locations throughout Spain, which were chosen following an examination of driver behaviour and crash data.

The road markings have been spotted on the 16-mile stretch of A-355 near Coin, Malaga - close to Marbella.

This segment of road, which has been dubbed the "highway of death", saw ten fatalities in the preceding 12-month period, as per reports by EuroWeekly News.

Despite previous attempts to boost safety, which involved the addition of improved guardrails and more signage, the A-355 highway has been a hotspot for accidents since it was opened ten years ago.

Originally built to handle 7,000 vehicles daily, the road now sees almost triple that number, with a large 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 not permitted, especially on roads with blind bends or hills where such manoeuvres could be hazardous, reports the Express.

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

The Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE) has warned that those who flout the overtaking ban, irrespective of whether the continuous line is white or red, could face fines of up to €400 (£340) and the deduction of four points from their driving licence.

This penalty is stated in Article 68 of 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 plan to improve road safety, which includes various additional measures such as installing new section radars, strengthening awareness campaigns and increasing the presence of officers on secondary roads.