The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has launched from today Monday and until next Sunday a special campaign to monitor and control the consumption of alcohol and other drugs in driving. The initiative will be carried out with the participation of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard, as well as with the collaboration of the local police of 15 Cantabrian municipalities that have joined the device.
Throughout the week, controls will be intensified on both interurban and urban roads, in all time slots, with the aim of preventing road accidents caused by the consumption of substances, one of the main causes of road mortality.
According to data from the DGT, alcohol was a concurrent factor in 246 deaths in traffic accidents recorded in 2023 nationwide - last year with consolidated data - which represents 26% of the total road deaths. Alcohol was present in 13% of all accidents that occurred, placing it as the second cause of road accidents, behind distractions and ahead of excess speed.
In the case of Cantabria, during 2024, 1,853 complaints were filed for alcohol consumption at the wheel and 1,336 for the presence of drugs. In addition, according to data from the Memory of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in the same year 637 convictions were issued in the community for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In last year’s edition of this same campaign, held between 19 and 25 August, a total of 102 complaints were registered in Cantabria, 73 for alcohol and 29 for drugs.
Effects of alcohol on driving
Alcohol consumption before driving represents one of the most important risk factors in road accidents. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant, directly affecting functions essential for safe driving, such as perception, reaction time, coordination and judgment. Even when the driver feels that he is in control, his body is already subject to alterations that exponentially increase the risk of an accident.
One of the first effects of alcohol is the reduction of reaction time. This means that, in the event of an unforeseen event on the road (such as the sudden appearance of a pedestrian, a brake on the front vehicle or a traffic signal), the driver takes longer to react, which can be decisive in avoiding or not avoiding an accident. Added to this slowness is an underestimation of the vehicle’s own speed and that of other vehicles, as well as greater difficulty in evaluating distances and making correct decisions.
Alcohol is not only related to a greater number of accidents, but also increases the severity of the consequences. Various studies have shown that in accidents where alcohol is present, injuries suffered by victims are usually more serious and have a worse prognosis. This is due, in part, to the fact that driving under the influence of alcohol is often associated with high-risk behaviors, such as speeding, not using a seatbelt or engaging in reckless maneuvers.
In addition, alcohol consumption also affects the driver’s emotional state, generating a false sense of security, euphoria or carelessness. These emotions often lead to undervaluing the real risks of traffic, which translates into an increase in unwise behaviors. Therefore, even with blood alcohol rates within the legal margin allowed, the level of risk is already significantly increased.
In short, alcohol acts on the body gradually but constantly, and from the first consumption there is already a deterioration of the capacities necessary to drive. Scientific evidence and statistical data show that the only safe rate of alcohol at the wheel is 0.0%.