Not a single day of the summer has gone by without a new death being recorded on Spanish roads. During the months of July and August this year, 241 people died in traffic accidents, three more than in the same period last year. This was confirmed on Thursday by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, at the presentation of the report on road accidents this summer. Despite the increase in the number of deaths, during this period there was a slight decrease in fatal accidents, with 221 cases, six fewer than last year.
On average, 3.9 people died every day in road accidents, a rate very similar to that of last year. Road leaving was the type of accident that claimed the most victims, followed by head-on collisions, mostly caused by crossing into the opposite lane due to distraction or excessive speed.
The number of fatal traffic accidents has remained almost the same as last year, but in the middle of a summer with a record number of road trips: almost 98 million trips. This figure indicates an increase of 4.42% compared to last year and is the highest in the historical series. For Grande-Marlaska, although the figures are not good, in the background the balance shows more road trips, while the number of deaths remains stable. The record number of trips, the minister added, is explained by the fact that those of Spanish citizens must be added to those of tourists. Until July of this year, Spain had received 53.4 million foreign visitors, 12% more than in the same period in 2023.
The report shows that almost half of the fatalities in these accidents were motorcyclists (72), pedestrians (20) or cyclists (15). The age group between 45 and 54 years is the one with the highest number of deaths, with 21% of the cases. According to the Minister of the Interior, the data reflects that “the new generations have incorporated a better culture of road safety.” Of the total number of fatalities, 80% were men. By autonomous community, Andalusia is the one with the highest number of victims with 19% of the total, followed by Castilla y León, with 12%. Madrid, with 10 fewer deaths than last year, and Catalonia, with nine fewer, are the communities with the highest decrease.
The data for the year to date show an increase in fatal accidents: 783 deaths between January 1 and September 1, 33 more than the same period last year. This represents an increase of 4%. “A single death on the road is an unacceptable price for a modern and advanced society like Spain,” said the minister. He added that the goal is to reduce fatal accidents by 50% by 2030.
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