SIC NEWS INTERVIEW
The government will move forward with the revision of the Traffic Code and the reactivation of the GNR Traffic Brigade, which was abolished in 2007. The objective is to reinforce inspection and reduce road accidents in Portugal.
In an interview with SIC Notícias, the Secretary of State for Civil Protection explained that the The decision comes in a context of concern about the number of victims on the roads.
“We had 448 people who died on Portuguese roads” in 2025, he highlighted, despite a reduction of around 6% compared to the previous year.
The reactivation of the Traffic Brigade aims to respond to the need for more effective supervision. According to the government official, there are currently around 130 soldiers in a national transit unit and around 1300 distributed across territorial commands, but without a single command.
“There will be a single command that will allow this inspection to be more targeted and also guided by the analysis of operational data”, he explained, adding that around 1400 soldiers should gradually join this new structure.
The Executive believes that this reorganization will allow “optimize resources” and strengthen not only inspection, but also prevention. The decision included favorable opinion from the GNR itselfindicated the Secretary of State.
In addition to the reorganization of forces on the ground, the Government is also preparing a new Highway Code. The current legislation is more than three decades old and has accumulated several changes.
“It’s almost like a patchwork,” he said.
The review process should involve security forces, the National Road Safety Authority and other experts. The objective is to present a proposal within a year.
Among the priorities fines are being reinforcedespecially in cases of recurrence, and greater harmonization of rules. The government official warned about risky behavior that continues to mark the number of accidents in Portugal, such as speeding and cell phone use while driving, which “quadruples the probability of having an accident”.
The consumption of According to data cited in the interview, in 2024, one in every three people killed on the roads had alcohol in their blood, with the majority having high levels.
The Government also wants to reinforce investment in technologyincluding the installation of average speed radars and the digitalization of infringement processes.
“We have to adapt the measures to the current reality and ensure that this collective space is a space of safety and not one of lost lives”, he concluded.
