New DGT Rules in 2026 You'll See on the Test

Published June 2026 · 9 min read

The new DGT traffic rules for 2026 you most need to know are the emergency corridor in traffic jams (you move to your side of the road to leave a free lane down the middle), the snow/ice overtaking ban with right-lane-only driving, and a slow/stopped-vehicle positioning rule — but as of mid-2026 these three sit in a pending reform of the Reglamento General de Circulación (RGC), while the V16 connected beacon and the e-scooter insurance and registration rules are already fully in force.

What actually changed in 2026 — and what's testable

2026 is a noisy year for Spanish traffic news, and most articles blur an important line: some rules are law right now, and others are still a proposed reform that the Ministry of the Interior and the DGT are drafting as a Real Decreto. That difference matters for your exam. The official DGT theory test only asks about rules that are in force, so you should learn the proposed changes for awareness — and because examiners can word general safe-driving questions around them — but not assume a "future" rule is the marked-correct answer to a current-law question.

Here is the honest status of the headline 2026 items:

The safest mindset: the emergency corridor, snow overtaking and slow-vehicle rules describe best practice the DGT already recommends, so they rarely contradict a correct exam answer — but the precise wording (and any fine) only becomes a "settled" exam fact once the Real Decreto is published in the BOE. Below, each rule is explained the way it would appear in a question.

The emergency corridor in traffic jams (pasillo de emergencia)

This is the change generating the most headlines. The DGT wants to formalise, in a reworked Article 32 of the RGC, an obligation already standard in Germany, Austria and several other EU countries: when traffic on a motorway (autopista) or dual carriageway (autovía) slows to walking pace or stops, drivers must open a free corridor down the centre so ambulances, fire crews and police can pass.

The mechanics are simple once you picture the lanes:

• Two lanes per direction: the left-lane vehicles move as far left as possible, the right-lane vehicles move as far right as possible. The free corridor forms between them, in the middle.
• Three or more lanes: the leftmost lane moves left; every other lane moves right. The corridor opens between the leftmost lane and the rest.
• Form it early — as traffic is stopping, not once an ambulance is already behind you with no room to manoeuvre.
• Never drive in the corridor. It is reserved for priority vehicles. Using it to "skip" the jam is exactly the behaviour the rule targets.

On the penalty: Spanish media widely cite a figure of around 200€ and the loss of points (4 points is the commonly repeated number), framing it as a serious offence comparable to obstructing a priority vehicle. Treat that as an estimate. The reform was not yet published in the BOE in mid-2026, and the DGT itself has said the exact sanction is not finalised — it has even signalled it would issue app warnings before fining drivers. For the exam, learn the manoeuvre, not a precise euro figure that isn't law yet.

Snow and ice: no overtaking, stay in the right lane

The proposed RGC reform also tightens winter-driving rules on motorways and dual carriageways. Two ideas travel together here, and they are easy to confuse, so keep them separate:

• No overtaking when the carriageway is covered in snow or ice and there are two or more lanes per direction. You would not pull into the left lane to pass.
• Right-lane-only driving in those conditions, keeping the left lane clear so snowploughs (quitanieves) and emergency vehicles can get through.

The logic is the same logic behind the emergency corridor: in bad conditions, the priority is keeping a clear path for the people who clear the road and rescue drivers, not gaining a few car lengths. Again, this sits in the pending Article 31 reform rather than being settled 2026 law, but it aligns neatly with existing exam principles — adverse weather already means lower speed, more distance, and extreme caution with overtaking. If a question asks what you should do on a snow-covered motorway, "stay in the right lane and do not overtake" is the safe, examiner-friendly answer regardless of the reform's status.

Slow and stopped vehicles: the 'open to the sides' rule

The third proposed change extends the same "make room" philosophy to any situation where traffic crawls or halts on a motorway or dual carriageway — not only full jams. The draft wording obliges drivers moving at pedestrian pace, or stopped because of a hold-up, to position themselves toward their side of the road (the side their lane already sits on), keeping the centre open. You move to your margin; you never cut across in front of where an emergency vehicle would travel.

Some reporting pairs this with a separate idea: reducing speed when passing a stopped vehicle or roadside workers — typically cited as dropping well below the posted limit (commonly described as around 20 km/h under the maximum) and giving generous lateral clearance. Because these specifics are still in draft, don't memorise a fixed number as gospel. The exam-proof version is the behaviour: slow down, move over, give space to anyone stopped on the hard shoulder or working at the roadside.

What's already law: V16 and e-scooters (read the dedicated guides)

Two 2026 changes are not proposals — they are in force, and they are far more likely to appear as current-law exam answers:

• The V16 connected beacon. Since 1 January 2026, the connected V16 light is the legal way to signal a broken-down or stopped vehicle, and the old reflective triangles are no longer valid for that purpose on interurban roads. You must carry a homologated beacon; not having one is a minor offence (commonly cited at 80€). This is a frequent test topic now — see the dedicated V16 article for the full detail and exam phrasing.
• E-scooter (VMP) rules. A Real Decreto in force from 2026 brings compulsory civil-liability insurance and a national registration requirement for personal light vehicles, alongside the certification rules already phasing in. Heavier, faster VMPs are squarely covered. These appear in mobility and shared-road questions rather than as a future "maybe".

If you only have time for two 2026 topics before your exam, make them V16 and e-scooters — they are settled law, clearly testable, and easy points.

How each new rule could be asked on the exam

Examiners rarely ask "what changed in 2026?" Instead they describe a scene and ask for the safe, lawful action. Here is how each item tends to surface:

• Emergency corridor: "You are stopped in the left lane of a three-lane motorway during a jam. Where should you position your vehicle?" → Move to the left, leaving the centre clear.
• Snow/ice: "The motorway is covered in snow and you are in the right lane behind a slower car. May you overtake?" → No; stay in the right lane and keep the left clear.
• Stopped vehicle: "You approach a vehicle stopped on the hard shoulder with someone beside it. What should you do?" → Reduce speed and move over to give a wide margin.
• V16: "Your car breaks down on an interurban road. How do you signal it?" → With a homologated, connected V16 beacon (not triangles).
• E-scooter: "What is now required to ride a personal light vehicle on public roads?" → Registration and valid civil-liability insurance.

Notice the pattern: every answer rewards the cautious, make-room, keep-clear instinct. Even where a rule is technically still a proposal, choosing that behaviour will almost never cost you a mark, because it is consistent with the existing principles the DGT has always tested.

How to drill the 2026 rules before your test

Reading a rule once is not the same as recognising it under timed pressure with four near-identical options. The reliable way to lock these in is repetition on exam-format questions: see the emergency-corridor scene, the snow scenario, the V16 prompt, get them wrong a few times, read the explanation, and meet them again until the right answer is automatic. Treat the in-force items (V16, e-scooters) as must-master and the proposed items as awareness, and you will walk in without being thrown by a "new rule" wording you have never seen.