Top 10 Mistakes When Studying DGT Theory (2026)

The same mistakes show up again and again. They aren't "tricky" questions but habits: reading in a rush, not looking at the picture, mixing up numbers, studying from outdated materials. Here are the ten most common slip-ups and what to do about each. All figures are checked against the Reglamento General de Circulación as worded in October 2026; more detail in the cheat sheet.

1. Reading the question carelessly

The mistake. You see the main word and skip the small ones that change the meaning: "no", "only", "always", "prohibited".

Example. "¿Está prohibido estacionar aquí?" You see "estacionar" and answer "yes, you can". The key word is prohibido.

How to avoid it:

• Read the question to the end, then the options
• Mentally mark the words no, solo, siempre, nunca, salvo, excepto
• If in doubt, re-read the question

2. Ignoring details in the pictures

The mistake. You read the question text and don't study the image: you miss a sign, a road marking, a pedestrian or a cyclist.

How to avoid it:

• First look over the whole picture: signs, markings, traffic lights, other road users
• Then read the question
• If you get it wrong, ask the AI assistant which detail you missed

3. Mixing up speed limits

The mistake. You carry over "60 in town" or "110 on the motorway" from another country, or remember one limit for everyone.

What to remember (cars):

Where	Limit
Town, street with one lane per direction	30 km/h
Town, two or more lanes per direction	50 km/h
Town, pavement and carriageway at the same level	20 km/h
Outside built-up areas, conventional road	90 km/h
Autovía and autopista	120 km/h

Lorries, vans and any vehicle towing a trailer go slower: 80 on a conventional road and 90 on an autovía or autopista. The full table is in the cheat sheet.

4. Right of way

The mistake. You confuse who has priority at a junction and at a roundabout, and you don't tell ceda el paso and STOP apart.

What to remember:

• At an unmarked junction, the vehicle coming from the right has priority
• At a roundabout, priority goes to whoever is already on the roundabout
• Rail-bound transport (trams, trains) has priority
• Ceda el paso: give way; STOP: come to a complete stop, then give way

5. Alcohol

The mistake. You don't remember that the limits differ by type of driver.

Who	Blood	Exhaled air
All drivers	0.5 g/l	0.25 mg/l
Novice (under 2 years) and professional drivers	0.3 g/l	0.15 mg/l
Under 18	0.0	0.0

Exceeding them means a €500 fine and 4 points, and if the reading is double or you reoffend, €1,000 and 6 points. If it reaches 1.2 g/l in blood or 0.60 mg/l in breath, it's already a criminal offence. Coffee and a shower don't remove alcohol: the body clears roughly 0.10–0.15 g/l per hour.

6. Distances

The mistake. You mix up the distances for different situations.

• Safe following distance in normal conditions is at least 2 seconds, and on a wet road braking distance is roughly double
• In a tunnel: car, 100 m or 4 seconds; heavy vehicle, 150 m or 6 seconds
• When overtaking a cyclist outside built-up areas: 1.5 m lateral gap and a speed at least 20 km/h below the limit
• Behind a cyclist in town, no closer than 5 m

7. Overtaking

The mistake. You don't know where overtaking is prohibited and you mix up the exceptions.

Overtaking is prohibited:

• at and next to a pedestrian crossing (since 1 October 2026 outright, without the old exception for very low speed)
• at a level crossing and where a cycle path crosses the road
• at a junction, unless you're on the priority road, on a roundabout or overtaking a two-wheeler
• in a tunnel with only one lane in your direction
• where you can't see the oncoming lane: on a bend and at a crest

8. Outdated materials

The mistake. You study from old notes and tests. In recent years the rules have changed more than usual:

Before	Now
Two warning triangles	Only the V-16 beacon on the roof (since 1 January 2026)
Taxi drivers and couriers could go without a seat belt	Seat belt compulsory for everyone (since 1 October 2026)
Cyclist without a helmet in heat or on a climb	Helmet outside built-up areas with no exceptions (since 1 October 2026)
Overtaking at a pedestrian crossing at low speed	Prohibited entirely (since 1 October 2026)
Phone in hand: 3 points	6 points
100 km/h on a road with a wide shoulder	90 km/h

Check that your materials are current: what changed in 2026.

9. Practising without reviewing mistakes

The mistake. You do test after test but don't go through the wrong answers. Numbers and exceptions stick precisely when you get them wrong and understand why.

How to avoid it:

• After every test, review your mistakes
• Save difficult questions to favourites and come back to them
• Use the Error Bank and ask the AI if an explanation isn't clear

10. Nerves and rushing

The mistake. Nerves get in the way of concentrating: you rush, skip words and change a right answer to a wrong one.

How to avoid it:

• Train in the exam format: 30 questions, 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 mistakes
• Start with the clear questions and leave the hard ones for later
• The night before, sleep well and don't cram late
• Don't change an answer without a reason

Checklist

• I read the question to the end and notice "no", "only" and "always"
• I study the picture before reading the question
• I remember the speed limits and which vehicles have different ones
• I remember who has priority at a junction and a roundabout
• I know the alcohol limits for each type of driver
• I know where overtaking is prohibited
• My materials are up to date for 2026
• I review mistakes after tests
• I've taken several mock exams in the 30-in-30 format

What's Next

Open the Error Bank and pick one topic you often mix up. Go through it today.

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