The General Directorate of Traffic is preparing to face one of the most complex periods of the year on Spanish roads with a forecast of almost fourteen million long-distance trips between the celebration of the New Year and the end of the Three Kings Day. This surveillance and control campaign also coincides with a historic milestone in road safety in our country, since from January 1, 2026, the V-16 connected beacon will become the only legal device for pre-signaling danger. This means that the use of traditional triangles will be officially banned to indicate that a vehicle is stopped on the road, replaced by this new system which guarantees real-time communication with the DGT 3.0 platform to warn other drivers. Traffic structured this operation into two large differentiated blocks to manage circulatory flows. In the first phase, corresponding to Operation New Year, eight million three hundred and sixty thousand long-haul trips are expected. For these days, analysts predict that the greatest complications will focus on travel to and from second homes, mountain areas and areas of great tourist or commercial attraction. Just at the end of this period, the third phase of the Christmas system will begin, Operation Three Kings, which will begin at three p.m. on Friday January 2 and last until midnight on Tuesday January 6. For these last days of vacation, five million five hundred thousand additional trips are estimated. Drivers should be particularly careful with the most unfavorable time slots, which will be between six in the afternoon and nine in the evening on Friday January 2, Saturday January 3 in the morning and the home stretch on Tuesday January 6, coinciding with the mass return of citizens to their homes. To manage this volume of traffic in the most orderly and safe manner possible, the DGT will implement various regulatory measures including the installation of reversible and additional lanes using beacons and cones during peak hours. Likewise, road works will be paralyzed, the holding of sporting events will be limited and truck traffic will be restricted on certain sections and dates. This entire deployment will benefit from the constant support of those responsible for the Traffic Management Centers, agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard and emergency services personnel. Under the slogan that the important thing is to arrive, the DGT reminds us of the importance of abstaining from alcohol before driving and remaining fully attentive at all times. Considering the possible adverse weather conditions typical of winter, it is essential to check the vehicle, take the necessary items for driving in the snow and check the road conditions through news bulletins, the official website or the telephone number zero eleven (011). The combination of advance planning and strict adherence to the new V-16 signage regulations will be key to closing these festivals safely across the entire road network.
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