The new road sign in Spain that has sparked complaints from drivers who see it as a money-making scheme

Spain's senior government minister approved a modification of the national general traffic regulations in June, which updated the country's road signage system, in force since 2003. The change included new traffic signs with the aim of improving road safety and modifying others that were no longer in use.

But of course, the new signs also raise suspicions among drivers, who see the possibility of increased controls and fines. This is what has happened with one of the new signs that the directorate general of traffic (DGT) has been explaining to drivers this week on social media.

This is the new S991f sign, hitherto largely unknown. "It indicates the existence of a minimum distance control device between vehicles at a point or section of a motorway or dual carriageway," the DGT explains. The DGT informs us that "additional information may be added to the upper or lower sub-signs".

Not respecting the safety distance between two vehicles is considered a serious offence which can lead to a fine of 200 euros and the loss of four points on the driving licence. But of course, there is no fixed safety distance and drivers have no way of knowing how far away they are from the other vehicle.

The new DGT sign explains that devices will be able to measure the distance between cars on a stretch of motorway or dual carriageway to ensure that there is a "minimum separation". The aim is to reduce the risk of rear-end collisions, one of the most common causes of accidents.

Does this mean that everyone who does not respect this minimum distance will be fined? That is the concern of drivers, as social media has been full of comments questioning the effectiveness of these measures. It is common sense not to get too close to the vehicle in front, but at what distance can I be fined? What if another vehicle overtakes me and pulls in very close to my car?

These are the questions left by users on the DGT site, who joked about the need to carry a ruler in their car to know how far they are from the vehicle in front. Concerns have also been raised about how the devices will measure the distance in traffic jams, when cars are very close together and traffic is at a standstill.

The sign features an image representing the minimum distance in each case and will also feature a new design to warn of electronic detection of non-compliance.