The last days of August and the beginning of September coincide this year with a weekend. This fact, together with the end of the holidays for thousands of people, means that the number of journeys on Spanish roads increases. From 3pm on Friday 30 August until midnight on Sunday 1 September, the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has launched the end of the summer operation in which 4.8 million journeys are expected. This closes the special measures of this operation, whose forecasts were around 94 million.
The fact that the end of the holidays coincides with a weekend will also allow staggered returns or, to a much lesser extent, the start of holidays for people who take them in September. During these days, the bulk of movements will be from coastal points and rest areas to large cities. In addition, transfers of drivers who circulate along the main axes and border crossings are expected due to the return to European countries of habitual residence.
Traffic forecasts are that from early Friday afternoon until the evening (especially between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.) there will be traffic jams at the exits of large urban centres and on the access roads to coastal tourist and leisure areas. These high concentrations of vehicles will continue on Saturday morning, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. In this case, due to the start of the September holiday period and short trips to the beaches and second homes. In the afternoon, the DGT does not rule out that there will be people returning home and that, therefore, this will occur in stages.
On Sunday morning, there may be problems on beaches and on routes between coastal towns. The main problems are expected to occur between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., at the end of the August holidays and the end of the weekend. Heavy traffic and traffic problems are expected on the motorways between coastal and rest areas and large urban centres. This will also be accompanied by the passage of foreign vehicles returning to their European countries of origin through border crossings.
The DGT has reminded drivers that it has the information telephone number 011 and the Traffic Information Service available on its website to provide updated information on the traffic situation on the roads.
During the return operation, reversible and additional lanes will be installed with signs, beaconing and cones during the hours of greatest traffic intensity, in addition to alternative routes. Road works will be halted, sports events on the roads will be limited and the circulation of general freight trucks and those transporting certain goods will be restricted on certain routes, days and times.
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The established device can be consulted in https://www.dgt.es/conoce-el-estado-del-trafico/recomendaciones-de-trafico/.
No alcohol or drugs
The DGT has reiterated the advice it usually gives for long journeys. These include carrying out a complete inspection of the vehicle, filling the fuel tank, getting enough sleep and rest, eating lightly before starting the journey, avoiding stimulant drinks and medicines that cause drowsiness or reduce attention and, above all, not consuming any drugs or alcohol.
Finally, Traffic always recommends, before and during the trip, to inform yourself about the state of the roads through all the communication channels available, whether through the Twitter accounts @informacionDGT and @DGTes, the news bulletins on radio and television, as well as on the telephone number 011 or on the Agency’s website (www.dgt.es either https://infocar.dgt.es/etraffic/) to avoid unforeseen events and use the proposed alternative routes if necessary.
Between 3:00 p.m. on Friday 23 and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday 25 August, 11 fatal accidents occurred on Spanish roads, in which 11 people lost their lives, according to data from the DGT. Six of the deceased were so-called vulnerable users (two motorcyclists, two cyclists and two pedestrians). Seven accidents occurred on conventional roads and four on motorways or dual carriageways. Among the accidents, there were five collisions, three road departures and two pedestrians being run over.
The accidents occurred in Librilla (Murcia), Adeje (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Orihuela (Alicante), Madrid (Madrid), Los Palacios and Villafranca (Seville), Palma (Balearic Islands), Pulpí (Almeria), Fuengirola (Malaga), Vejer de la Frontera (Cadiz), Ontinyent (Valencia), and Huescar (Granada).
According to data from the DGT, 746 people had died on the roads since the beginning of the year until 25 August. The worst month to date was July with 110 fatalities, followed by June with 106.
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