Millions Of Drivers Do This Every Day And It’s Behind Most Deadly Crashes

As we mentioned successful our previous articles, Spain’s postulation authority has released its latest magazine – and 1 connection keeps coming up again and again. The deadliest crashes connected Spanish roads are not caused by uncommon aliases utmost situations, but by mundane behaviours astir drivers don’t deliberation doubly about.

According to nan DGT, 3 factors are down nan mostly of fatal accidents: distraction, speed, and alcohol. And nan worrying part? These are things millions of drivers woody pinch – aliases disregard – each azygous day.

The 3 habits down astir fatal crashes

Year aft year, nan information tells nan aforesaid story. Distraction remains 1 of nan biggest risks. It only takes a fewer seconds of looking distant from nan roadworthy – checking a message, adjusting nan GPS, aliases moreover conscionable losing attraction – for things to spell wrong.

That’s why Spain tightened nan rules successful 2022. Using your phone while driving is now strictly prohibited, and nan punishment was accrued from 3 to six points connected your licence. The good stayed nan aforesaid astatine €200, but nan connection became clearer: this is not a insignificant offence.

Then comes speed.

New limits were introduced successful caller years to effort to bring risks down. On accepted roads, nan wide limit was reduced to 90 km/h. In cities, nan rules changed moreover much – pinch 20 km/h successful shared spaces, 30 km/h connected single-lane roads, and 50 km/h connected larger streets.

Despite this, velocity continues to play a domiciled successful a immense number of superior crashes – often making nan quality betwixt a adjacent miss and a fatal outcome.

And finally, alcohol.

Alcohol still playing a awesome domiciled connected Spanish roads

The figures are difficult to ignore. In 2024, retired of 937 drivers killed successful roadworthy accidents who were tested, 322 had intoxicant successful their system. That’s much than 1 successful three.

There person been attempts to tighten nan limits moreover further – lowering nan ineligible humor intoxicant level from 0.5 g/l to 0.2 – successful statement pinch respective different European countries. But contempt support from roadworthy information experts and victims’ associations, nan connection was rejected successful Spain’s Congress.

So for now, nan ineligible limit remains unchanged. But nan proposal from authorities hasn’t moved: down nan wheel, nan safest level is zero.

Real-life examples of really things spell wrong

The DGT mag doesn’t conscionable coming information – it besides shows existent scenarios that bespeak these mundane risks.

In 1 case, 2 drivers were caught travelling astatine complete 200 km/h. At those speeds, it’s nary longer conscionable astir fines – it tin lead to criminal charges, situation sentences, and nan nonaccomplishment of a driving licence.

In different situation, a driver overtakes cyclists without leaving nan required information region of 1.5 metres – and without signalling. It mightiness look for illustration a mini lapse, but it puts aggregate lives astatine consequence and is considered a superior offence.

Mobile telephone usage continues to travel up arsenic well. Even holding your telephone while driving is capable to costs you €200 and six points – and distraction remains 1 of nan starring factors successful fatal accidents.

Why these ‘normal’ behaviours are truthful dangerous

What stands retired from each this is really mean these actions are.

Speeding slightly. Checking your phone. Driving aft a drink. Not leaving capable space. These are not utmost behaviours – they’re mundane habits.

But erstwhile they combine, aliases hap astatine nan incorrect moment, nan consequences tin beryllium severe.

The DGT is clear: if these 3 factors – distraction, speed, and intoxicant – were reduced, nan number of roadworthy deaths would driblet significantly.

What drivers successful Spain should return from this

If you thrust regularly successful Spain, this isn’t astir learning caller rules – it’s astir applying nan ones you already know.

Stay focused. Respect velocity limits. Avoid intoxicant wholly erstwhile driving.

Simple advice, but arsenic nan latest DGT figures show, it’s precisely wherever astir drivers gaffe up. Because successful nan end, nan astir vulnerable things connected nan roadworthy aren’t ever nan evident ones – they’re nan habits that consciousness normal.