A total of 228 people have lost their lives and another 949 have been serious injuries in mortal traffic accidents registered during the summer operation, which has been developed from July 1 to August 31, as reported this morning the Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. This figure represents a reduction of 15 fatalities compared to the summer of last year and a reduction of 6%, although the displacements increased by 2.77%The head of the Interior has labeled as “inexplicable” that has not yet been approved in the Congress of Deputies the law that will reduce the breathalyzer rate to 0.2 grams per liter of blood.
Summer provisional balance data show. The average shows that three people died every summer day. There were three days in July (Monday 14, Wednesday 16 and Monday 28) and one in August (Monday 25) in which there were no fatal victims, according to the day data with the greatest number of deaths was on July 6, with 11 fatalities. One of the most serious summer accidents occurred in Sisante (Cuenca) where five people died, a fact that did not occur since the summer of 2014.
By types of roads, 55 people lost their lives on highways or highways – new than 2024 – and the remaining 173 on conventional roads – those who only have one lane by direction of circulation – six less than last summer. The so -called vulnerable users, bikers and pedestrians have also been reduced by 16 fatalities, from 117 in 2023 to 101 in 2024. – – New cyclists, ”he left less – and 72 motorists – four less. These users account for 48% of fatalities.
“The dead in road claims are still too many. You have to work more and more to reduce the number of victims. A modern society cannot afford this data,” he reiterated large-marlaska. Since January 1, 746 people have died on Spanish roads, 34 less than in the same period, which represents a 4%decrease.
By autonomous communities, Andalusia is at the head in number of deaths on the road this summer (47), followed by Castilla y León (32) and Catalonia (28).
The road outings continue to be the type of incident that causes more deaths, with 43% of the total and 99 deaths. They are followed by frontal collisions with 23% and 53 dead. A worrying fact for the DGT is that 29 of the 107 deaths in cars or vans did not wear the seat belt. The same happened with two motorists and a cyclist who had no helmet. On average a motorist has died up to date. The two-wheeled mobile park has grown up to 15% of the total and the motorists represent 27% of the victims, ”said Grande-Marlaska. The minister recalled that the main biker associations, the employer and the Ministry of Interior work together to reduce the accident.
During the summer, 100.5 million displacements have been recorded. In August there were 52 million (2.8% more) and in July 48.5 (2.76%). The day with greater mobility was on August 1 with two million, and the one that least, on July 5, with 1.3 million. This data has contributed the operation of the Strait, with 820,663 vehicles (7.9% more) and that of vehicles that go to Portugal: 244,816 (15.4% more).
The Interior Minister has highlighted the work that the Civil Guard has done during the forest fires of August, in which the Traffic Group has been responsible for regulating the circulation through restricted areas and accompanying convoys of the European contingent, among other functions. 298 access controls have been carried out to areas affected by the fires —56 in the main roads and 242 on conventional roads – 184 road cuts – 109 in Castilla y León, 52 in Galicia and 23 in Extremadura – and alternative itineraries have been activated to avoid the affected areas. In the deployment, 3,214 civil guards of the three regional communities have participated, to which 2,170 of the border provinces have joined, as highlighted by Grande-Marlaska.
One of the points at which the Minister of the Interior has influenced has been the need to approve a proposal of law presented by the Socialist Group in the Congress of Deputies. It would be 0.2 grams per liter in blood, which does in practice that no alcoholic beverage can be consumed. Grande-Marlaska recalled that in 2024 they gave positive in alcohol, drugs or narcotics. He has ruled out that it is a collection measure and has described it as “public health measure.” “Zero tolerance for alcohol consumption. It is recommended by the World Health Organization, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces and Road Safety Associations,” he added.
“Here I am going to get serious. There is no excuse that justifies the delay of its implementation. We are all responsible for this law to be a reality,” concluded the minister, who recalled on more than one occasion the high percentage of drivers who died in 2023 who had consumed alcohol.
The DGT is studying to launch a new type of radars that already work in France. It is about which a repeated breach of the speed limits has been detected, as explained by the minister. The general director of Traffic, Pere Navarro, plans to move to the neighboring country shortly to see how they work and see if the model can be brought to Spain.
