The new traffic signs with which the DGT eliminates gender connotations come into force.
Spain bids farewell to several traffic signs. This past Tuesday, July 1st , the amendment to the General Traffic Regulations came into effect, updating the road signage system, in place since 2003. Its main objective is to eliminate gender connotations in symbols in an attempt to promote much more inclusive language, as explained by the DGT.
On June 10th, the Council of Ministers approved this change to the regulations to modernize traffic signs as a response to the various social changes experienced in our society. Not only that, but they are also technological, as they have also been introduced in recent years in the mobility sector. All of these signs, which are considered obsolete or out of compliance, will be removed within a maximum of one year after the decree comes into force.
According to the draft of this Royal Decree, the reasons for modifying these signs were as follows: "In the current context, it makes no sense to attribute the tasks of shopping and childcare to the female gender, which is why both pictograms are being modified . The 'Hypermarket' pictogram features a male figure (the same type as all signs that only feature one person), while the 'Pedestrian Zone' pictogram features a male person pushing the baby stroller." Furthermore, it was stated that "these modifications, along with other proposals for vertical signage , have a positive impact on gender ."
New or updated DGT signsThe list of updated signs is extensive. Here, for example, we find P-8 , which warns of danger due to the proximity of a level crossing not equipped with a barrier or half-barrier. One of those that has been changed to eliminate this gender connotation is P-21a , which speaks of danger due to the proximity of an area frequented by children, whether a school or a playground. It will now be represented by a figure with a ponytail in front and a child holding hands behind it .
Another example is S-115 , which marks a suitable spot for starting hikes. You can see a couple of hikers, a man and a woman, with backpacks and hiking poles.
On the other hand, among the newly created signs is, for example, R-118 , which indicates the prohibition of access to personal mobility vehicles. P-24a warns of danger due to the proximity of a place where the road can frequently be crossed by free-roaming animals, a very high proportion of which are wild boars. Then there is P-21b , which speaks of danger due to the proximity of a place frequented by people with motor or sensory difficulties. Here, a woman and a man are shown holding hands and using walking sticks.
The S-30a , which indicates a zone reserved for pedestrian use and is represented by a woman and a man, the latter with a stroller and a child, or the S-46, which speaks of a situation where a pedestrian crossing is shared with a cyclist crossing, are other new signs included in the DGT catalogue.
The DGT signs that disappearSeveral signs will disappear from Spanish roads. For example, those referring to the prohibition of parking on odd or even days .
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