N-332 motoring information group in Spain: 'The number one topic asked about is roundabouts'

An English-language traffic information platform based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, is heading to the Costa del Sol next week for a series of educational talks focused on Spanish traffic laws. The N-332 group was set up around ten years ago by Francisco Javier Morales, a Guardia Civil officer who saw that there was a need for education and information in English to avoid potential problems faced by foreign drivers.

The group's name originates from the N-332, a road which runs along the east coast of Spain and through Torrevieja, the road where the Guardia Civil officer who thought of the idea patrols.

Morales brought on board Mark Nolan, a former driving instructor from the UK who was working as a journalist and radio presenter in Torrevieja at the time and who has now lived on the Costa Blanca for more than 20 years.

SUR in English contacted Nolan prior to his arrival on the Costa del Sol to talk about how and why this platform was set up and what services it offers and to whom.

How did you become involved in this group?

As a former driving instructor in the UK, I was able to expand the message, in my native language, and through comparison I became involved almost straight away, and am still active over a decade later.

Whose idea was it to set this up?

The idea came from the fact that the area around the east coast is a favourite for foreign residents and visitors, which became a focus for one Guardia Civil officer in particular, Francisco Javier Morales. He would have to deal with traffic incidents, many of which involved foreign drivers, and although fines are inevitable for traffic offences, it became clear to him, dealing with the same infractions on a regular basis, that there was a need for information and education to try to avoid these dangerous situations.

How did you go about setting up the platform?

Once the need for education had been established, and English was a preferred language as it is more common amongst other nationalities, it was then concluded that Facebook would be the ideal platform to initially start sharing the information, as it is used by most age groups and most nationalities. The creation of a website was immediately necessary to accompany the Facebook content, so we could reach people both instantly and with a reference source.

How many followers do you have?

Over the last ten years, we have built up a considerable following on Facebook. We have in excess of 300,000 followers, with our posts reaching millions of views.

Throughout this year we will have other developments where information will be shared, such as a radio station giving information, and an educational resource, which will also feature sections for parents and teachers, as well as dedicated areas for young adults and children.

What are the main topics that people ask about?

There is no doubt that the number one topic asked about is roundabouts, because they are confusing for a lot of people, although, in fact, the rules in Spain are actually among the simplest and safest, so long as they are followed.

Are foreigners good drivers in general?

One of the problems when it comes to foreign drivers is that, for the most part, they are not aware they are doing anything wrong. If we think of roundabouts as an example, UK drivers were taught one way of navigating them, and pretty much every nationality taught something different, but at no point would any driver ever consider thinking something like, "we are going to Spain next week, I wonder if they drive differently on roundabouts".

What are the main problems foreign drivers have in Spain?

When we have areas of Spain where many different nationalities are driving, and all in the belief that they are doing it right, we have complete confusion. Add to that the drivers who are doing wrong, but are in the knowledge they are, and it is no surprise that roundabouts are amongst the most problematic areas.

Is it mainly the British who need information?

Not at all. As mentioned, many nationalities drive in their own way, but the benefit of English is that it is a more common language. We have and continue to give presentations to Scandinavian residents, Germans, in fact any group really, because from our point of view it doesn't matter, because we are explaining what is necessary in Spain, and although my comparisons might be with UK driving, the comparisons still have validity.

Is it just information about Spanish traffic laws?

Primarily we intended to deal with Spanish traffic law exclusively, but, like many sources of information, our direction changed during the Covid pandemic, as we were able to share information with our followers easily. Since then, our focus has returned to Spanish traffic law, but we have also included other information which we think will be of use to our followers, and their lives in Spain, but not losing our focus.

Francisco is a traffic officer but he is also Guardia Civil, and so he has, during his career, forged links with all security bodies and so if information is pertinent, it can be shared.