Briefing
A recent claim that indicating on Spanish roundabouts is generally optional and that priority “a matter for negotiation” cannot be substantiated. Under Reglamento General de Circulación (Real Decreto 1428/2003) and the information published by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), the rule is that vehicles already on a roundabout have priority over vehicles entering. This is a basic rule of priority and has not been repealed or changed by an emergency decree.
There are also specific rules to follow when entering and leaving roundabouts. When entering drivers must watch for traffic already on the roundabout and give way where necessary; when leaving drivers must use their indicators to signal their intended exit to other road users. The DGT and road-safety publications also explain that lane choice (inner or outer lane) depends on the intended exit and must be made responsibly.
Being in the inner lane does not, in itself, give a driver general priority over vehicles in the outer lane if they are already taking the exit. Experts and motoring advice sources, including the Automóvil Club RACE and further DGT publications, stress that signalling correctly and changing lanes in good time reduce the risk of accidents. A common misconception is that indicating is merely a courtesy: in Spain, signalling when leaving a roundabout is recommended and promoted by the DGT as a rule of conduct; this is not a new relaxation or abolition of previous duties.
As no official source or amended legislation could be found for the “new” rule claimed in the submitted report, the assertion that priority or signalling requirements have changed cannot be confirmed. Editorial recommendation: clarify the report, cite official sources (the Reglamento General de Circulación and DGT guidance) and avoid misleading wording such as “optional” or “priority is a matter for negotiation”.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).