The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) periodically carries out road safety campaigns focused on controlling certain groups (transporters, school vehicle drivers, car drivers…) and specific infractions (use of seat belts, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, vehicle maintenance, current MOT…).
In September, the organization led by Pere Navarro intensified surveillance of motorists, which is the group of road users that is registering the greatest increase in accidents so far in 2023. As of October 3, they have died on the road 226 people, 19 more than in the same period of 2022.
With the aim of controlling and raising awareness among this vulnerable group, the DGT carried out a special campaign on the roads especially frequented by them on the weekend of September 9 and 10. In total, the agents of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard controlled 14,533 motorcycles and issued 617 complaints, of which 252 – that is, 41% – were for excessive speed.
This figure is very high, especially if we compare it with that recorded in the same campaign last year. Then, 112 fines were filed for this reason, that is, less than half of those issued in this campaign. Furthermore, it is important to note that, except for one complaint, all of them were issued for driving above the legal limits on conventional roads, which are the most dangerous and where inappropriate speed can cost the motorist their life.
In fact, most of the controls (10,906) were carried out on these roads, since they account for 77% of the fatal accidents in this type of vehicle that occurred until the celebration of this campaign.
As for the rest of the violations, the number of motorists reported for driving under the influence of alcohol (12) or drugs (15) decreased compared to last year, as well as those reported for reckless or negligent driving. (12). It should be noted that 12 were sanctioned for not wearing a helmet or doing so improperly, 11 for illegal overtaking, 69 for not having a valid ITV, 22 for driving without insurance and 21 for problems related to the driver’s documentation, among other sanctions. .
As we have mentioned before, conventional roads are the ones that register the most fatal accidents among motorists. To identify the most risky stretches, in 2020 specific signs began to be installed that warn of the need to take extreme caution when driving on them. The selection has been made based on the sinuosity of the route and the accident rate recorded in the last 5 years. With an approximate length of 2 kilometers, they are distributed along roads throughout the national territory in which the DGT has powers.
The signs, which are placed at the beginning of the dangerous section, report the number of injured motorcyclists (dead and injured) registered in the last 5 years. The calculation of the victims and each section will be carried out annually and the data will be updated.
