Winter Driving in Spain
Drive over snowy mountain passes in Spain: ice, chains, fog, DGT warnings and staying safe.
Spain gets real winter on its mountain roads: passes like those in the Sierra de Guadarrama can freeze or close, the DGT issues warnings and the Guardia Civil may stop cars without chains or winter tyres. Drivers check the forecast, scrape frozen windscreens and talk a lot about placas de hielo. The cards follow two friends driving from Madrid to a rural house in Segovia on a snowy weekend.
- 1
Esta mañana las carreteras están heladas.
The roads are really icy this morning.
- 2
Ojo con las placas de hielo en los puentes.
Watch out for black ice on the bridges.
- 3
¿Hace falta llevar cadenas?
Do we need to carry snow chains?
- 4
No he puesto cadenas en mi vida.
I've never put chains on in my life.
- 5
La DGT dice que el puerto está cerrado.
The DGT says the pass is closed.
- 6
Ve despacio y guarda la distancia.
Drive slowly and keep your distance.
- 7
No frenes de golpe.
Don't brake suddenly.
- 8
El parabrisas está congelado.
The windscreen is frozen.
- 9
¿Tienes un rascador?
Have you got an ice scraper?
- 10
Pon la calefacción a tope.
Put the heating on full.
- 11
Acaba de pasar la quitanieves.
The snowplough has just gone by.
- 12
Hay mucha niebla en la autovía.
There's thick fog on the motorway.
- 13
¡El coche está patinando!
The car's skidding!
- 14
¿Esperamos a que despeje?
Shall we wait until it clears up?
- 15
Mira la previsión antes de salir.
Check the forecast before you set off.
- 16
¿Llevas neumáticos de invierno?
Have you got winter tyres?
- 17
Estamos atascados por la nieve.
We're stuck because of the snow.
- 18
Hay que echarle anticongelante al coche.
We need to put antifreeze in the car.
- 19
Prefiero no conducir de noche con este tiempo.
I'd rather not drive at night in this weather.
- 20
Avísame cuando llegues.
Text me when you get there.