People living in Spain’s campo areas who regularly need to walk along roads without pavements are being reminded to check the rules before October, when a major package of road safety changes comes into force throughout Spain.

Spain’s new traffic regulations take effect on October 1, 2026, bringing changes for motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists, electric scooter users and even pedestrians. The reform is designed to give greater protection to vulnerable road users, with pedestrians specifically included in the new rules.

For residents in rural areas or golf resorts, the changes are particularly relevant. A walk to the nearest village, bar, bus stop or neighbour can mean sharing a narrow road with cars, often without a pavement, street lighting or even a proper hard shoulder.

New pedestrian rules coming into force in October

People who find themselves walking on the road because there is no usable pedestrian area will have a clearly defined set of obligations from October 1.

Under the new rules, pedestrians will be fined by the Guardia Civil or local police if they do not:

• Use the left-hand hard-shoulder, in the direction they are walking, where there is no practicable pedestrian area and a usable shoulder exists.
• If there is no usable hard-shoulder, they must walk on the carriageway while keeping as far away from vehicle traffic as possible.
• Walk one behind another rather than side by side when using the shoulder or road.
• Move to the right only in exceptional circumstances where safety reasons justify doing so.
• Anyone pushing or pulling a bicycle, two-wheeled moped, VMP or similar vehicle must use the opposite side, the right-hand side.
• Groups of pedestrians led by a person must also use the right-hand side.
  (the size of group is yet to be defined by the DGT. We can expect this in September – So far the law says, “Todo grupo de peatones dirigido por una persona”, or in English,, “any group of pedestrians led by a person” — must walk on the right-hand side.
• Avoid stopping on the road or shoulder when a refuge, pedestrian area or other suitable place is available.
• Move out of the way when an ambulance, police vehicle, fire engine or other priority vehicle approaches using its lights or siren.

Walking on the left is therefore not simply safety advice and common sense so that walkers can see oncoming vehicles. It will now form part of Spain’s traffic regulations, with the October wording making the requirements more detailed and carrying fines for non-compliance.

Walking after dark? Visibility matters

Anyone walking along a road between towns, villages, or golf resorts after sunset will need to pay particular attention to visibility.

From October 1, pedestrians using the carriageway or hard-shoulder between sunset and sunrise, or when weather or environmental conditions seriously reduce visibility, must have at least one approved luminous or reflective item that can be seen by approaching drivers from a minimum distance of 150 metres. The DGT, the government department that comes up with these rules, is expected to publish a list of approved reflective gear in September.

Big change for groups walking on roads

Groups will have extra requirements. When walking in conditions covered by the rules, groups must have lights on the side pointing towards the centre of the road, with white or yellow light facing forwards and red light facing backwards. Yes, you read correctly. A group, for example walking from a golf resort or urbanisation, with no pedestrian pavement to rely upon, will need to carry lights in future.

Some of these rules are not actually new. October’s changes could easily give the impression that Spain is suddenly telling pedestrians how to walk on rural roads. That would be misleading. Spain already requires pedestrians outside built-up areas to use the left-hand side where possible, and existing DGT guidance tells people walking on roads to use the hard-shoulder where one exists. At night or in conditions of poor visibility, pedestrians on the road or shoulder must already use an approved luminous or reflective element.

Could pedestrians be fined?

Yes. Pedestrians are not outside Spain’s traffic law simply because they are not driving a vehicle. Previous EWN reporting has already covered situations in which pedestrians can receive fines, including crossing roads incorrectly, walking on motorways or autovias and failing to follow certain pedestrian requirements. Previous EWN guide: pedestrians can receive fines in Spain

Individual fines depend on the offence and the circumstances, so walkers should not assume that a traffic rule applies only to drivers.

Police officers responsible for traffic enforcement, including the Guardia Civil and relevant local police forces, have powers to enforce traffic regulations. That means pedestrians should take the October changes seriously rather than assuming enforcement applies only to motorists.

Why campo residents should take notice

Rural living in Spain can make the pedestrian rules more complicated than walking around a town centre. A resident may have no pavement outside their property and be faced with a narrow road used by cars travelling considerably faster than walking pace. Some roads have bends, blind corners, weeds, poor lighting or little space between the carriageway and nearby walls.

DGT advice already stresses the importance of visibility, particularly because pedestrians and vehicles have such different speeds. DGT research has previously found that a very high proportion of pedestrians killed at night on interurban roads were not wearing reflective clothing.

For anyone living in a rural urbanisation or finca, the practical message is simple: if there is no pavement and you have to walk on the road, know which side to use and make yourself visible.

A whole package of new rules and guidelines is due to come in at the beginning of October covering pedestrians, car drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists, all in order to improve safety on Spain’s roads, and now is the time to make sure we are all on the same page.