The speed limit came into force on Tuesday (May 11) on urban roads with one lane in each direction of traffic, affecting 60 to 70% of the country's streets.
The changes
also include a peed limit in urban areas of 20 km/h on roads with a
single lane shared by cars and pedestrians, and 50 km/h on roads with two or
more lanes.
According
to the Spanish General Directorate of Transport (DGT) The proposed speed limits
are meant to "calm" traffic, according to the Spanish Directorate
General of Traffic (DGT), but they will also reduce noise and congestion, make
cities more liveable and ensure the peaceful coexistence of cars and vulnerable
people (pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and mopeds).
This
legislative reform in laws comes after a call from municipalities, many of
which have already decided to become "30 cities", and is now in force
in all municipalities in Spain.
According
to DGT, a 30 km/h speed limit on inner-city roads with only one lane in each
direction means that cars react quickly when a cyclist, a bicycle or someone
accidentally opens a car door.
According
to studies cited by the Spanish press, the chance of dying in a traffic
accident is 15% when the car is traveling at 30 km/h and rises to 85% when the
car is traveling at 50 km/h.
In 2019,
vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists,
accounted for 82% of the 519 people killed in accidents on Spanish urban roads.
SERNIS has
a wide range of LED sings that can be used to warn drivers of the new changes.
