The Delegate of the Government in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, accompanied by the provincial head of Traffic, José Miguel Tolosa, and the lieutenant colonel, interim head of the Traffic Sector of the Civil Guard, Rubén Flores, has today offered a press conference to present the data of road accident on the roads of the region during the year 2023, in which the death of 21 people was regretted, the highest figure in the last four years.
According to traffic statistics, the accident rate on Cantabrian roads in 2023 increased compared to the previous year, marking a “rebound” in the total number of accidents, fatalities, hospitalized injuries and unhospitalized injuries. This increase is aggravated by the increase already observed in 2022.
In detail, during the last year a total of 3,181 accidents were recorded, 10.37% more than the 2,882 in 2022. In addition, the death of 21 people was regretted, three more than in the previous year, being the highest number of fatalities in the last four years. In addition, 125 people suffered serious injuries and 1,327 were injured without hospitalization.
“Unfortunately, the balance cannot be positive at all. It can never be so as long as there is only one death on the roads. That is the goal we must set ourselves, and unfortunately today we are further away from achieving it," said Gómez de Diego.
During the hearing, the delegate has placed special emphasis on the increase of deceased persons belonging to the so-called vulnerable group (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists), where 15 of the 21 victims belonged to this group, seven of them being motorcycle users.
This phenomenon has also been observed at the national level and the Ministry of the Interior is preparing measures to address this situation, such as updating the content of the point recovery courses to incorporate a specific profile for motorcyclists or the establishment of a mandatory course for drivers of the B permit with three years of age who want to drive motorcycles of up to 125 cubic centimeters, among others.
In Cantabria, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is also implementing additional measures, such as raising the awareness of the bikers’ collective through participation in motorcycle rallies and promoting the use of airbag vests, initiatives that will continue to be strengthened.
"The increase in these figures demands our immediate attention. It is crucial to consider these statistics not only as a cause for concern, but also as a call to action. We must work together – governments, law enforcement, organizations and citizens – to achieve a safer road environment and protect the lives of those who transit our roads,” concluded Gómez de Diego.
14 interurban deaths
The provincial head of Traffic, José Miguel Tolosa, has been in charge of breaking down the accident data. According to him, in accidents on interurban roads, 14 people died, 4 of them on motorways and the remaining 10 on conventional roads.
Of these, three traveled in tourism, two in trucks, four in motorcycles, two in bicycles and three were pedestrians. Regarding the type of accidents, nine were road exits, two by collisions (front or rear), two by falls and one by collision with animal. Regarding the sex of the victims, nine were men and five women, with the number of women killed being the highest in the historical series.
By age group, three deaths were over 65, two between 55 and 64, four between 45 and 54, two between 35 and 44, two between 25 and 34 and one between 15 and 24.
At this point, Tolosa has indicated that in general, they are “similar data” to those recorded in 2022, when 13 deaths were recorded, although it has considered “significant” the percentage of deaths belonging to the vulnerable group (9).
Among the most positive aspects, it has valued the reduction of deceased tourist drivers -three compared to the ten of the year 2022-, as well as the halving of the deceased over 65 years old -three compared to six-.
No deceased tourism user
With regard to accidents on urban roads, seven people died, six of them belonging to the vulnerable group. On the other hand, no deaths have been recorded among tourism users, as highlighted by Tolosa.
Regarding the locations of the accidents, four were registered in Santander - two of them motorcycle users, a moped driver and a pedestrian - and one in Las Presillas (Puente Viesgo), Arenas de Iguña and Los Corrales de Buelna, respectively.
Tolosa, who has acknowledged the “concern” for the DGT for the increase in deaths among motorcycle users and has agreed with the delegate to make a negative balance of accident data, wanted to appeal to drivers, since, as he stressed, “many accidents are avoidable with a plus of responsibility”.
Blood alcohol, drug and speed controls
For his part, the Lieutenant Colonel, Acting Chief of the Traffic Section of the Civil Guard, Rubén Flores, has provided the data relating to the surveillance controls carried out on interurban roads.
Thus, during the year 2023, 144,305 alcohol tests were carried out, resulting in positive 2,004, having decreased with respect to the year 2022 (2,422). On the contrary, the number of positive drugs has increased from 446 to 1,355, which is also the result of greater control (2,405 tests were carried out compared to 1,013 in 2022).
Likewise, in terms of speed, the number of vehicles controlled by kinemometer has increased significantly, having gone from 466,158 in the previous year to 662,384 in the year that has just ended, having been sanctioned 15,076 compared to 13,444, a figure that is proportionally lower than that of 2022.