This Friday, July 4, begins the Special Operation “First departure of the summer” of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), which will last until Sunday, July 6, and in which approximately 63,800 displacements are planned in La Rioja.
Special Operation Data
Days: From 15:00 on Friday, July 4, until 24:00 on Sunday, July 6.
Hours of higher expected traffic intensity:
- 4th of July, from 16 to 22 h.
- 5 July, from 9 to 14 h
- July 6, from 16 to 22 h.
History of accidents
During last year’s 1st Summer Operation, a total of five casualty accidents were recorded in La Rioja, resulting in one serious injury and four minor injuries on interurban roads.
Consolidated trend
During the summer months, when the risk of accidents increases compared to the rest of the year, the DGT intensifies its actions to protect all road users. At the same time, it works to ensure that journeys take place in an orderly and safe manner, addressing both the usual congestion resulting from the high volume of traffic and the problems that may arise unexpectedly. These incidents can be linked to summer trips themselves—to beaches, tourist destinations or second homes—or caused by external factors such as cuts in roads, works or other circumstances.
During the last few summers, a pattern has been consolidated in vacation travel: departures and returns tend to be distributed in shorter periods and to be concentrated on weekends. For this reason, the DGT has foreseen a series of specific operations every weekend of the summer period, with a special reinforcement on the first weekends of each month or during specific festivities that give rise to the so-called departure or return operations.
Based on this pattern, five special traffic operations have been established:
- 1st Operation Output: From Friday 4th to 6th July.
- Operation Santiago: From 24th to 27th July
- Operation August 1st: From 1st to 3rd of August.
- Operation 15 of August: from 14 to 17 of August.
- Operation Return: From 29th to 31st August. Background of accident.
Tips to save lives
- From the DGT they transfer some tips that can help reduce the risk of accident:
- It is convenient to plan the trips well. The increase in travel will cause significant hold-ups in the exits and entrances of large cities and coastal roads, a setback that can be avoided with good planning.
- It is not reasonable to risk your life to enjoy one more drink or to arrive five minutes earlier. After the accident, all that becomes meaningless.
- Do not use WhatsApp groups that warn of blood alcohol controls. They are unsympathetic and a risk because they can cause someone who has drunk to avoid them and kill someone.
- You have to be very careful with the short trips, which in summer accumulate most of the fatal accidents.
- Finally, when driving, both hands on the steering wheel and the view on the road. Beware of the distractions that are the first cause of fatal accidents in summer.