What does the red flag of a Traffic Civil Guard mean?

Normally, we tend to memorize the main signs found on almost every road in Spain . On the other hand, we're less clear about what the signs shown to us by the authorities mean because we rarely see them, like this red flag.

In this case, Civil Guard officers, instead of carrying a large flag, usually carry two small pennants on either side of their motorcycles . They choose this vehicle for this function because it's much easier to alert all road users in the shortest possible time.

What does the Civil Guard agent want to tell us with this flag?

When a Civil Guard passes you with this flag , you must stop as they pass . The red flag indicates that that section of road is temporarily closed or unavailable , and you will have to wait until further notice unless you are one of the escorting vehicles (for example, during a bicycle race).

In order for us to continue along the road, the Benemérita motorcycle will have to change its red flags to green ones , indicating that the section of road has reopened and normal traffic can begin again.

What does the yellow flag indicate?

If you're a Formula 1 fan, you already know the answer. The yellow flag is a signal that the Civil Guard, like the marshals, shows you when there's a danger on the road and wants to alert you to slow down and take extra caution. These situations can arise, for example, if Hamilton is caught in a puzzolana or if a truck has crashed on the side of the road .

What other signals does the Civil Guard make to stop the vehicle?

One of the clearest gestures is when the officer stands in front of you with one arm raised vertically and the palm of his hand open . In this case, you must stop the vehicle at his or her intersection or at the intersection where he or she is. If, in addition to this gesture, your other arm is extended to the side, the order to stop is also directed at vehicles traveling in the opposite direction .

Another common indicator is when the officer swings a flashing light in his hand in a vertical motion —up and down. If he signals at you while doing this, it means you must stop immediately. Likewise, if the Civil Guard officer holds the flashing light with his arm extended vertically , it is a direct order to stop for drivers approaching from the front.