One of the most risky holidays on the road begins: almost 200 deaths in the last decade
- The long weekend of August 15th, a national holiday, is one of the most dangerous of the entire year in terms of road safety. In the last decade, during these dates, around 7,500 accidents were recorded in which there were almost 200 deaths, about 20 each year.
- The injuries that usually occur during this bridge are worrying: between 2012 and 2021 there were almost 11,000 people injured in traffic accidents. Additionally, last year saw the highest serious injury rate since 2017 (7.1%).
- This year, the August 15th long weekend will cover up to 4 days in which more than 8.5 million trips will be recorded, which, together with the heat and the recklessness of some drivers, can turn these days into very complicated dates for the road safety.
- Summer is the most difficult time of the year for driving: in the last decade, there have been 5 deaths per day during the summer season, a rate 20.5% higher than in non-holiday periods.
- The most common accidents during summer travel tend to occur on conventional roads, leaving the road and very close to the destination, which can be the result of fatigue and overconfidence. This type of incident is more common in young men aged 18 to 29.
- The most common accidents during summer travel tend to occur on conventional roads, leaving the road and very close to the destination, which can be the result of fatigue and overconfidence. This type of incident is more common in young men aged 18 to 29.
Madrid, 11 August 2023. Traditionally, the August 15th holiday usually marks the peak of summer in our country. But these highly anticipated dates for many Spaniards also carry a significant risk: traffic accidents. Not in vain, the holiday weekend that begins this weekend is one of the holidays with the highest number of road accidents, as in the last decade, there were about 7,400 accidents with victims in which almost 200 people lost their lives, about 20 each year.
The severity of injuries during this holiday period is also a concern, as between 2012 and 2021, there were nearly 11,000 injuries in traffic accidents, 8% of which were of a serious nature. A proportion that, although it had been steadily declining since 2016, increased by +1.3pp last year, going from 5.8% to 7.1%, setting off all the alarms.
The reasons for this high accident rate are varied: the heat, which can increase the risk of accidents by 15% to 25%, the recklessness of many drivers, and the density of traffic. This year, the August 15th holiday period could span up to 4 days with around 7 million journeys expected, which, combined with the heat and the recklessness of some drivers, can make these days very challenging for road safety.
During this holiday period, the DGT (Spanish Traffic Authority) has announced a Special Operation that starts between 4 PM and 11 PM today, Friday, and will continue until 12 AM next Tuesday. More than 8.5 million journeys are expected during this period, with significant traffic density, especially on coastal roads. According to DGT data, in July of this year, a month in which there were a total of 45.8 million long-distance movements, there were 112 fatal accidents resulting in 115 fatalities.
Summer journeys
This analysis is part of the Línea Directa Foundation report "Getting there and back. X-ray of traffic accidents on holiday journeys in Spain (2012-2021)" ["Ir y volver. Radiografía de los accidentes de tráfico en los desplazamientos vacacionales en España (2012-2021)"], prepared in collaboration with FESVIAL (Spanish Foundation for Road Safety). The study, based on official data from the Spanish Traffic Authorty (DGT) and more than 1,700 surveys carried out throughout the country, yields alarming conclusions; according to the statistics, summer is the most complicated time of the year for driving. Not surprisingly, in the last decade, there have been 5 casualties per day during the summer season, a rate 20.5% higher than in non-holiday periods and significantly higher than other public holidays.
In the last 10 years there have been 230,000 accidents during holiday periods, of which around 165,000 (71%) occurred during the summer. There were also 3,300 road fatalities and 234,000 injuries recorded during this time.
The most frequent summer accident is driving off the road, which is up 1.6 points compared to non-holiday periods. Head-on collisions, rollovers and collisions with obstacles, all of which are closely related to fatigue and distracted driving, are also on the rise, as shown in the examples below:
Driving off the road with rollover
Rear-end collision or collision with road fixtures
In the summer there is a spike in accidents on conventional roads, which is where 65% of road accidents occur. In addition, there is a very telling circumstance: these accidents tend to occur close to the destination, which could be caused not only by fatigue, but also by a certain relaxation on the part of the driver as they see that they are about to arrive.
This type of accident tends to affect men more frequently, with an increased frequency in younger age groups, especially those aged 18-29.
Most critical stretches of road
The Línea Directa Foundation also wanted to determine which stretches of road have the highest number of fatalities in Spain during the four holiday periods the whole country shares. To this end, it has analysed the Spanish road network in 20-km modular sections where there have been at least three fatal accidents during the holiday periods in the last decade.
The regions with the highest number of critical stretches are Catalonia, Andalusia, Valencia and Castile and Leon, while Extremadura, Navarre and Murcia are on the opposite end of the scale. The 10 stretches of road with the most deaths in the last decade during summer travel are in Tarragona, on the AP-7, (km 320-334); in Burgos, on the old N-I (km 254-278), and in Girona, on the C-33 (km 6-9).
Spanish drivers and their behind-the-wheel behaviour in the summer
With the summertime "Operation Vacation" approaching, the Línea Directa Foundation also wanted to find out more about the habits of Spanish drivers on long-distance journeys. And there is certainly much room for improvement.
15.5 million drivers (56%) do not plan their route properly, another 15 million (54%) confess to exceeding speed limits during their holiday travel and 17 million (61%) do not follow the DGT's recommendations on stops and rests. In addition, more than half do not take turns driving with other passengers, an attitude particularly prevalent among men, and 82% do not know how to properly load the vehicle.
But perhaps the most striking aspect of Spanish drivers' habits on holiday journeys comes from alcohol, with 6 million motorists (23%) confessing to drinking beer and even mixed drinks during their summer outbound and return journeys. In addition, 25% of those surveyed admitted to eating a lot of food during these journeys, which can lead to drowsiness and lethargy.