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Tema 26: joining traffic and lateral movements in the DGT exam

Whoever joins always yields. Whoever is already moving helps where they can. Two different duties the exam likes to mix up.

Reviewed on 6 October 2026 · sources: BOE and DGT

This tema asks who gives way when joining traffic and how you join and leave a fast road.

  • Pulling out from a stop, a parking space, a slip road or adjoining property, you must give way to traffic already moving. Joining without giving way is a serious offence.
  • At the start of the acceleration lane you check you can join, even stopping if you must. Priority belongs to whoever is already on the motorway (autopista) or dual carriageway (autovía).
  • Other drivers must help the joining vehicle where they can, especially buses leaving a marked stop.
  • To leave, you move in good time to the lane nearest the exit and slow down inside the deceleration lane.

Watch out: helping is not surrendering priority. The bus must still check; you must still help it.

In DrivingLingo: see the traffic signs, tema 24 on turning and reversing, tema 31 on motorways, dual carriageways and expressways and the .

Source: RGC arts. 57.1.d), 72, 73, 77.

Key rules of topic 26

The joiner yields

Pulling out from a stop, a parking space, a slip road or adjoining property, you must give way to traffic already moving.

  • You satisfy yourself you create no danger, even by being guided by someone else.
  • Joining without yielding is a serious offence.

Source: RGC art. 72

The acceleration lane

At the start of the acceleration lane you check you can join, even stopping if you must.

  • Then you accelerate to reach, by the end of the lane, a speed suited to the traffic on the road.
  • Priority always belongs to whoever is already on the motorway.

Source: RGC art. 72.4; RGC art. 57.1.d)

Helping them in

Other drivers must help the joining vehicle where they can, especially buses leaving a marked stop.

  • In town you move over or slow down, stopping if necessary.

Source: RGC art. 73

The deceleration lane

To leave, you move in good time to the lane nearest the exit and enter the deceleration lane as early as you can.

  • You slow down inside the deceleration lane, not in the running lane.

Source: RGC art. 77

Signalling the move

Every driver must give adequate advance warning of any manoeuvre they are about to make.

  • You warn with the direction indicators and, failing those, with your arm.
  • The warning stays on for the whole manoeuvre and stops when it ends.

Source: RGC arts. 108 y 109

Learn the rule, then practise it

Study topic 26 step by step: the rule, its citation and exam-style questions.

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