DGT Glossary 2026
Key driving theory exam terms, explained in plain language. Each entry includes a definition, key facts and an exam tip.
Adaptable dual-purpose vehicle
Vehicle that carries people, goods or both, up to 9 seats including the driver, by adding or removing seats.
Adaptive lights
Headlight system that adapts beam shape or intensity to road conditions.
ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems)
Systems that use sensors and cameras to help the driver see, warn or brake before a crash happens.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Electronic device that prevents the wheels from locking up during emergency braking.
Articulated vehicle
Motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer; in traffic law it counts as a combination of vehicles.
Bike lane
Lane or path reserved for bicycles and, in some cases, personal mobility vehicles (PMVs).
Blind spot
Area around a vehicle that the driver cannot see using the mirrors.
Blood alcohol limit
Concentration of alcohol in blood or exhaled air, expressed in grams per litre.
Braking distance
Distance the vehicle travels from the moment the brake is pressed until it stops.
Broken line
Dashed white longitudinal road marking that may be crossed.
Bus lane
Lane reserved for bus traffic, sometimes shared with other authorised vehicles.
Car-derived van
Vehicle that keeps a car's bodyshell and chassis but is built for carrying goods, with a single row of seats.
Central reservation
Longitudinal area that physically separates the two carriageways of a motorway, dual carriageway or expressway.
Centrifugal force
Apparent force that pushes a vehicle outwards in a curve.
Child restraint system (CRS)
Type-approved seat or device that adapts the seat belt to children under 1.35 m tall.
Conventional road
Interurban road that is not a motorway, dual carriageway or expressway.
Default speed limit
Speed limit applied by default to each road type when no sign says otherwise.
DGT environmental sticker (distintivo ambiental)
Official sticker — road sign V-25 — that classifies every vehicle by its pollution potential into four categories: 0 emissions, ECO, C and B.
Driver drowsiness
State of sleepiness in the driver that reduces attention and reaction time and multiplies crash risk.
Driving licence points
The points balance the DGT assigns to each driver: 8 on a first licence, 12 as a general rule and up to 15 with no sanctions.
Driving wheels
The wheels that receive engine power and move the vehicle: front, rear or all four, depending on the drivetrain.
Dual carriageway
Fast road with separated carriageways per direction and at least two lanes each way, no at-grade intersections.
ESP (electronic stability control)
Electronic system that detects lateral skidding and corrects it by braking individual wheels.
Fog lights
Special lights to improve visibility (yours and others') in fog, heavy rain or snow.
Hard shoulder
Longitudinal strip of the road outside the carriageway, separated by a road marking and reserved for exceptional use.
Hi-vis vest
Mandatory high-visibility garment the driver must put on before leaving the vehicle on interurban roads.
High beams
Long-range front lights that illuminate about 100 metres ahead of the vehicle.
International driving permit (IDP)
Official translation of your national driving licence, valid for one year and only alongside the licence it derives from, for driving outside the EU.
Interurban road
Any public road outside a built-up area. Its opposite is the urban road, which runs inside a built-up area except for through-roads.
ITV frequency
How often a vehicle must be inspected: a private car four years after registration, then every two years, and yearly after ten.
Level crossing
At-grade crossing between a road and a railway line.
Loading and unloading
Moving goods on and off a vehicle: off the road wherever possible and, failing that, from the side closest to the kerb.
Low beams
Short-range front lights that illuminate the road without dazzling other drivers.
Low-emission zones (LEZ / ZBE)
Urban areas where vehicle circulation is restricted or banned based on the DGT environmental sticker, to reduce pollution.
Minimum speed
Speed below which you may not drive without obstructing other traffic, except for justified causes.
Moped
Two or three-wheeled vehicle with engine displacement ≤50 cc and a top design speed of 45 km/h.
Motorway
Top-grade public road with separated carriageways, no direct property access, restricted to motor vehicles.
Overtaking
Manoeuvre of passing another vehicle going the same direction, temporarily using the opposing lane or a free lane.
Pedestrian crossing
Marked zone of the road for pedestrians to cross, where they have priority over vehicles.
Personal mobility vehicle (PMV) and e-scooter
Vehicle with one or more wheels, a single seat and exclusively electric propulsion. The e-scooter is the most common PMV.
Quadricycle
Four-wheeled vehicle. The light one stays under 350 kg unladen and 45 km/h and needs an AM licence; the heavy one reaches 70 km/h and needs a category B.
Reaction time
Time from when the driver perceives a hazard until they act on the controls.
Reflector (catadioptric)
Passive reflective device that bounces incoming light back toward its source so it can be seen in the dark.
Reversible lane
Lane whose direction of travel can change according to time of day or traffic demand.
Right of way
Rules that decide which vehicle or road user goes first when several converge at an intersection or manoeuvre.
Road marking
Lines, symbols or text painted on the pavement that regulate or inform traffic.
Roundabout
Gyratory intersection driven with its centre kept on your left, where vehicles already on the circular carriageway have priority.
Safe following distance
Gap a driver must keep from the vehicle in front to stop without colliding.
School zone
Section of road near a school, signposted and with reduced speed limits.
Seat belt
Mandatory restraint system that keeps the occupant in their seat during a collision.
Semi-trailer
Trailer without a front axle, coupled to a tractor unit so part of its weight rests on the tractor.
Side lights (position lamps)
Lights that show the vehicle's presence and width. They do not light the road, so they are never used alone while driving.
Solid line
White longitudinal road marking that may not be crossed or stepped on.
Speed limits in Spain
Maximum and minimum speeds that apply to each road type and each type of vehicle when no sign says otherwise.
Stop sign (R-2)
Red octagonal sign with the word «STOP» requiring a full stop before the intersection.
Tachograph
On-board device recording driving time, rest periods and speed for heavy and professional vehicles.
Town-crossing road
Section of an interurban road passing through the built-up area of a town.
Tractor unit
Motor vehicle built mainly to haul a semi-trailer; coupled to one it forms an articulated vehicle.
Traffic light
A device regulating traffic with red, amber and green lights. It precedes vertical signs and road markings, but not officers’ directions, temporary signs or beaconing.
Tyre pressure
The internal air pressure of tyres, set by the manufacturer, that drives behaviour, fuel use and safety.
V-16 emergency beacon
DGT-approved luminous beacon that replaces warning triangles to signal an immobilised vehicle.
Vehicle registration certificate (permiso de circulación)
Document issued by the Provincial Traffic Office that authorises a vehicle to be driven and identifies the vehicle and its registered keeper.
Vehicle technical sheet (ITV card)
Official document listing the vehicle's technical specs and inspection history.
Vertical signage
Signs mounted on posts or overhead gantries beside or above the road.
Warning triangles (V-12)
Portable triangular signs placed in front of and behind an immobilised vehicle to warn other drivers.
Yield sign (R-1)
Inverted triangular sign requiring you to give way to traffic on the road you're joining, without stopping if no traffic is coming.