The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has initiated this morning a control campaign focused on speed monitoring, identified as one of the main risk factors in road accidents. In 2023, with 24-hour data, 211 fatal accidents were recorded in which speed was a concurrent factor.
The campaign, which will run from today to next Sunday, July 21, is part of the Global Plan of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and the Spanish Road Safety Strategy 2030, which aim to halve the number of fatalities by the end of the decade.
Officers of the Civil Guard Traffic Group and other local police officers will monitor risk sections on both urban and interurban roads, especially those with high accident rates and where speed limits are exceeded. The existence of controls will be announced through variable message panels or circumstantial vertical signaling.
In Cantabria, there are 10 automated reporting facilities: 9 fixed radars and one section. In addition, the Provincial Traffic Headquarters has invited the main municipalities of the region to participate in the campaign.
The DGT calls on drivers to respect speed limits, stressing that having an adequate speed could prevent a quarter of those killed in road accidents. From 80 km/h, it is practically impossible for a pedestrian to survive an attack, while at 30 km/h the risk of death is reduced to 5%. In addition, speed influences the probability of accident and the severity of injuries.
Prevent 2,200 deaths per year
According to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), a 1 km/h reduction in average speeds on all EU roads could prevent 2,200 deaths per year. In Spain, compliance with the speed limit varies according to the type of track: 63% on motorways and 51% on motorways. On urban roads with a limit of 50km/h, the level of speed compliance by passenger cars is 65%, the third highest value of the 13 countries with which we share a limit. For its part, in the streets of 30 km/h, the compliance level is 32%, the highest value of the three countries for which data are available.
Since July 6, 2024, all new vehicles registered must have advanced safety features (ADAS), including the Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA), which helps drivers to respect speed limits through a navigation and signal recognition system.
The National Federation ASPAYM collaborates with the DGT in this campaign, involving volunteers with spinal injuries who will accompany Civil Guard agents in roadblocks to raise awareness of the consequences of not respecting speed limits. This collaboration is part of the campaign "Do not run, do not drink, do not change wheels", in force since 2007, which uses personal testimonies to complement awareness initiatives.
Biker campaign
On the other hand, the Provincial Traffic Headquarters has reported that it will increase its attention this summer on one of the most vulnerable groups on the roads, the motorcyclists.
With the slogan ‘We want you back, we want you safe’, the DGT and the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard (ATGC) have initiated this month an information campaign aimed at motorcyclists through specific preventive controls to ensure compliance with traffic rules. In these roadside checks, advice and information will be provided to raise the awareness of the community about their vulnerability.
According to the balance of the DGT in Cantabria, in the last 6 years 19 motorcyclists have died on the Cantabrian roads, seven of them in 2023. In addition, there were 187 serious injuries in a total of 1,333 accidents involving motorcycles.
In the controls, Civil Guard agents will distribute triptychs with information and advice to motorists, emphasizing the importance of maintenance and review of the vehicle and its main safety elements (tyres, lighting, braking system), ergonomics and proper positioning, the use of approved safety equipment (helmet, jacket, trousers, boots, gloves, protections) and the consequences of using inappropriate equipment (brain damage, spinal injuries, amputations).
The triptych also addresses the most common imprudences and infractions among motorcyclists (overspeeding, anti-regulatory overtaking, zigzagging between cars, moving in the opposite direction), highlighting the importance of compliance with the rules and preventive driving that allows to anticipate the reactions of other drivers and road users. It is essential to maintain attention, avoid distractions, drive at an appropriate speed and keep safe distances.