DGT Theory Topic 3, Signs and Signals: a Visual Summary

Topic 3 of the Spanish DGT syllabus is about signals: police officers, traffic lights, road signs and road markings. It is the most visual topic of all and the one with the most photo questions. The secret is not memorising hundreds of signs one by one, but understanding three things: which signal wins when two say different things, what shape and colour tell you before you even read the symbol, and where a sign's effect starts and ends.

Here is the topic summarised with diagrams, the signs that get mixed up most often, the trick answers and a short quiz with real DGT questions. Spanish sign names are shown in grey on the cards.

What topic 3 covers

Which signal wins: the order of priority

If the officer, the light, the sign and the road marking all say the same thing, there is no problem. If they contradict each other, you do not choose: whichever is higher on this list wins.

1. Signals and orders from police officers.
2. Temporary signals that change the road's normal layout (cones, panels) and fixed guidance devices.
3. Traffic lights.
4. Road signs.
5. Road markings.
6. The general rule of priority (give way to the right).

The logic: the more "live" and recent the message, the more it counts. The officer sees what is happening right now; the road marking has been painted there for years. If two signs of the same type contradict each other, the stricter one applies: STOP and give way on the same post means you stop.

A traffic light outranks the sign beneath it only while it is working normally. With flashing amber or the light switched off, the sign underneath is back in charge. This is the most frequent trap in the topic.

Police officers: arm raised and arms outstretched

• Arm raised vertically: everyone approaching stops, from any direction. Anyone already inside the junction clears it.
• Arms outstretched horizontally (or just one): those approaching the officer's front or back, towards the chest or back, stop. Those coming from the sides may go.
• If an officer stopped you and then lowers the arm, you do not move off: wait for another signal.
• From a vehicle: an arm held downwards at an angle and still means pull over to the right. A flashing red light facing forwards means the patrol car is behind you: stop on the right in front of it and follow its instructions.
• Flags: red, the road is closed after the vehicle carrying it; green, the road is open again; yellow, take care, there is danger nearby.

At roadworks, staff with STOP and "go" paddles control traffic like an officer, and yellow markings override white ones.

Traffic lights: colours, arrows and lanes

Round lights for vehicles: steady red, do not cross the stop line; steady amber, stop as for red unless you cannot do so safely; green, go, but do not enter if you will end up stuck in the junction or on the crossing. Flashing amber: take care, and if there is a sign underneath, obey it. Switched off with no signs: you have no priority and give way to the right.

Which light applies to you depends on where it is. A single light on the right applies to every lane. A single light on the left is for traffic turning left or going straight on. With two lights, left-turners and straight-on traffic follow the left one, right-turners follow the right one.

Arrows: a black arrow on a coloured background only says which direction that colour applies to. A green arrow gives permission for that direction; if you are in the lane for that direction, or in the lane the turning traffic behind you needs, you must move off in that direction rather than wait.

Lane lights, square and above each lane: green arrow pointing down, you may use the lane; red cross, you may not use it, and if you are in it, leave it as soon as possible (do not stop under it); white or yellow diagonal arrow, the lane is about to close and you must move over the way it points.

Road signs: shape and colour before the symbol

The shape tells you the type of message even before you can make out the symbol: triangle, danger; red circle, prohibition; blue circle, mandatory; rectangle or square, information. At roadworks the same signs have a yellow background and always apply, even if nobody is working.

Warning signs do not ban anything themselves: they ask for attention, moderate speed and readiness to stop. The ones people mix up most:

Priority signs have unique shapes so you recognise them even when covered in snow or seen from behind. R-1 Give way (inverted triangle): you give way, but you only stop if someone is coming. R-2 STOP (octagon): you always come to a full stop, even with nobody around, at the stop line; if you cannot see, creep forward and stop again where you can. On narrow stretches, R-5 (red circle) makes you give way to oncoming traffic and R-6 (blue square) gives you priority. On R-5, your arrow (the one pointing up) is the red one.

The prohibition and mandatory signs most often confused:

• R-100 (empty white circle with red border): no vehicles in either direction. R-101 (red circle with white bar): no entry, but traffic does run the other way.
• R-303 bans turning left and U-turns; R-304 only bans U-turns.
• R-307 (two crossed bars): no stopping and no parking. R-308 (one bar): no parking, but you may stop. With fortnightly rules, the switch is at 9 am, not midnight.
• R-301 (white circle, red border, black number): maximum speed. R-411 (blue circle, white number): minimum speed. S-7 (blue square): recommended speed; going above it is not speeding, but it will count against you if it causes a crash.
• R-400 (mandatory arrow): you may only go that way, even if the street ahead is clear.

Where they apply: from the point where the sign stands, unless a panel gives a distance. A limit placed next to a town's entry sign applies to the whole town, not just up to the next junction. A limit that comes with a bends sign stops applying when the bends end, even if you see no end sign.

Information signs and special zones

Information signs inform, but some of them change the rules of the area. The ones that come up most are three zones designed for pedestrians:

More clues: the blue square S-13 marks where the crossing is, while the triangle P-20a warns you before you get there. On lane signs, each arrow is a lane; if the left one requires a minimum of 70 and you are doing 90, that does not oblige you to stay in it: if the right lane is free, you move back. At motorway exits the advance signs are blue, and only the sign at the exit itself takes the colour of the road you are joining.

Road markings: lines, arrows and colours

• Solid line: never drive on or across it. If it separates directions, you may not drive to its left, nor turn left or make a U-turn across it. A double solid line means the same. Exceptions: passing a stationary vehicle or overtaking cyclists with 1.5 m clearance, if it is safe. On a one-way road it separates lanes going the same way: you may not cross it, but you may drive to its left.
• Solid next to broken: only the line on your side counts.
• Broken line: may be crossed. The shorter and closer the dashes, the nearer a hazard or a solid line.
• Edge line: not the "do not cross" solid line; it does not change the rules for the shoulder. If it is zigzag, a pedestrian or cycle crossing is near: slow down.
• Transverse lines: solid, compulsory stop (STOP); broken, give way; with no sign, it shows where to give way under the general rule.
• Arrows in your lane oblige you to follow those directions. A STOP painted in another lane does not apply to you if you are in yours.
• Yellow: at roadworks it overrides white. Along the kerb, broken works like R-308 (no parking) and solid like R-307 (no stopping or parking). A yellow grid at a junction: do not enter if you will end up stuck in it.

Trick answers in topic 3

Mini quiz: 8 real exam questions

These are official DGT questions on topic 3, translated from the Spanish. Pick an answer to see whether you got it and why.

Question 1 / 8

On this road, the traffic light on the left must be obeyed by those who intend to...

Aturn left only.Bturn left or go straight on.Cgo straight on or turn right.

Question 2 / 8

What is the speed limit in a residential play zone?

A30 km/h.B20 km/h.C10 km/h.

Question 3 / 8

The traffic light turns steady amber. What should you do?

AGive way, then go.BGet through before it turns red.CStop before the light, if you can do so safely.

Question 4 / 8

At the next junction, according to the sign, must you give way?

ANo, the sign shows you have priority at the junction.BYes, to vehicles approaching from the right.CYes, to vehicles approaching from both the right and the left.

Question 5 / 8

The sign shows numbers indicating a speed. Which speed?

AThe minimum speed in those lanes.BThe maximum speed in those lanes.CThe recommended speed in those lanes.

Question 6 / 8

You stop because an officer has an arm stretched out horizontally. You may move off again when the officer...

Agives short, frequent blasts on the whistle.Blowers the arm.Ctells you to with another signal.

Question 7 / 8

Must the driver of the white car obey the STOP marking when reaching the junction?

ANo, because the marking only applies to those turning left.BYes, road markings must be obeyed.CYes, but only if going straight on.

Question 8 / 8

What do zigzag edge lines indicate?

AAn overtaking zone ahead, where you may speed up.BThe lane is about to narrow and parking is banned.CYou are approaching a pedestrian or cycle crossing and must slow down.

How to learn topic 3

You do not need to learn the whole catalogue. First, the order of priority (officer, cones, light, sign, marking, right-hand rule) and what happens with flashing amber or a dead traffic light. Next, shape and colour, which tell you the type of sign even if you do not recognise the symbol. Finally, the pairs people confuse: P-1 and P-2, R-5 and R-6, R-100 and R-101, R-303 and R-304, R-307 and R-308, S-28 and S-47.

Priority at unsigned junctions is covered in the topic 1 summary, and what lines mean for overtaking in the topic 2 summary.