The General Directorate of Traffic foresees the 2,256,800 trips on the roads and areas of influence of the Valencian Community on the occasion of the Christmas holidays. These displacements account for about 12% of the national total, which exceeds 20.1 million displacements. During this festive period, the DGT launches a special surveillance, regulation and safety device on the road that begins at 15.00hs on Friday and will last until 24.00hs on Monday, January 6.
Many of the trips, both long and short, are directed to second homes, mountain areas for winter sports, areas of winter and Christmas tourist attraction, as well as commercial areas.
The delegate of the Government in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, has encouraged compliance with the recommendations of safety and circulation. “The important thing,” said the delegate, “is to come and enjoy these holidays with our families.” The Christmas period, “is one of the times of the year where, due to its own circumstances, the road becomes particularly dangerous”. Barnabas stressed that “family and friends meetings, where alcohol is frequently consumed, school and university holidays, and adverse weather conditions that can aggravate the situation, must therefore be extremely cautious.”
Phases of the campaign
As usual, different phases have been established that coincide with the main Christmas festivities and that this year, in addition, take place at the weekend.
● 1st CHRISTMAS phase: from 15.00hs on Friday 20th to 24.00hs on Wednesday 25th December 2024. In this phase, a total of 6,750,000 long-distance journeys are expected at the national level, of which 793,800 correspond to the area of influence of the Valencian Community.
● 2nd END OF YEAR phase: from Friday, December 27, 2024, to Wednesday, January 1, 2025. In this phase, a total of 6,420,000 long-distance journeys are expected at the national level, of which 706,200 correspond to the area of influence of the Valencian Community.
● 3rd phase REYES: end of Operation Christmas, from Friday 3 to 24:00 on Monday, January 6, 2025. In this phase, a total of 4,090,000 long-distance journeys are expected at the national level, of which 458,080 correspond to the area of influence of the Valencian Community.
In this special operation, the DGT has the maximum availability of human resources (Agents of the Traffic Grouping of the Civil Guard, official personnel of the Traffic Management Centers, Helicopter patrols and equipment maintenance personnel and the installation of road measures) that will be responsible for facilitating traffic mobility, maintaining road conditions and helping users in the face of any incident. At the same time, the speed and blood alcohol controls will be intensified as an instrument for the prevention of road accidents.