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DGT Glossary
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Articulated vehicle

Motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer; in traffic law it counts as a combination of vehicles.

Definition

Under the definition given by Spain's Reglamento General de Vehículos, an articulated vehicle (vehículo articulado) is a motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer. Because it is made up of more than one unit, an articulated vehicle also counts as a combination of vehicles, which carries its own rules on speed, separation and the use of certain lanes.

Articulated vehicle, road train and articulated bus

The exam deliberately mixes these three up. An articulated vehicle is a motor vehicle coupled to a SEMI-TRAILER. A road train (tren de carretera) is a combination made up of a motor vehicle with a full TRAILER hitched to it, treated as heavy when the maximum authorised mass of the two vehicles together exceeds 3,500 kilograms; its maximum length including the load is 18.75 metres. An articulated bus, by contrast, is a vehicle for carrying more than 9 people including the driver, made of two rigid sections joined by an articulated section.

Speed limits for an articulated vehicle

Lorries, articulated vehicles, tractor units, vans and cars towing a trailer of up to 750 kilograms may not exceed 90 kilometres per hour on motorways and dual carriageways; other cars towing a trailer are capped at 80 kilometres per hour. On conventional roads the limit for those same vehicles is 80 kilometres per hour.

Key facts

  • Motor vehicle + semi-trailer. If the question mentions a hitched full trailer, it is a road train, not an articulated vehicle.
  • It counts as a combination of vehicles under the traffic rules.
  • Maximum authorised weight for articulated vehicles and road trains with five or more axles is 40 tonnes; for three-axle ones, 24 tonnes.
  • They may not use lanes opened against the normal direction of travel: those are limited to motorcycles and cars.
  • At the red snow-driving level, buses, lorries and articulated vehicles may not circulate at all; everyone else only with chains and at a maximum of 30 km/h.
  • Driving a combination longer than 10 metres outside built-up areas, you must leave at least 50 metres to the vehicle in front when you are not about to overtake.

Exam tip

Articulated = motor unit + SEMI-trailer. Road train = motor unit + full TRAILER. If the wording says "semi-trailer", the answer is articulated vehicle.

Keep studying

Frequently asked questions

What is an articulated vehicle under the Reglamento General de Vehículos?
Under the Reglamento General de Vehículos, an articulated vehicle is a motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer.
Is an articulated vehicle a combination of vehicles?
Yes. An articulated vehicle is a motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer and is therefore treated as a combination of vehicles.
What is the difference between an articulated vehicle and a road train?
An articulated vehicle is a motor vehicle coupled to a semi-trailer. A road train is a combination made up of a motor vehicle with a full trailer hitched to it, and its maximum length including the load is 18.75 metres.

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