The DGT to Conduct Over 30,000 Daily Alcohol and Drug Tests

The Spanish Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has launched a special campaign to monitor and control alcohol and drug consumption among drivers, running from 14th to 20th July.

In collaboration with the Civil Guard Traffic Group, as well as regional and local police forces, the DGT will conduct over 30,000 daily tests on drivers on both interurban and urban roads. The goal is clear: to prevent road accidents caused by substance consumption, one of the leading causes of mortality on our roads.

According to the data handled by this body, in 2023, 246 people lost their lives in traffic accidents where alcohol was a contributing factor, representing an alarming 26% of all fatal accidents. Additionally, alcohol was present in 13% of all recorded accidents, making it the second leading cause of road accidents in Spain, only behind distractions and surpassing speed.

The DGT emphasises that alcohol consumption, even in small amounts, directly affects essential functions for safe driving. It acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, altering perception, reaction time, coordination, and judgment. This results in slower reactions to unforeseen events, underestimation of one's own and others' speed, and difficulties in assessing distances, even when the driver believes they are in control.

As blood alcohol levels increase, the effects worsen exponentially, increasing not only the number of accidents but also the severity of their consequences. Studies show that injuries sustained by victims in alcohol-related accidents tend to be more severe, as driving under its influence is often associated with high-risk behaviours such as speeding or reckless manoeuvres. The scientific evidence is clear: the only safe blood alcohol level when driving is 0.0%.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has fatal consequences; at best, it results in an administrative sanction, but in many cases, it leads to imprisonment. In 2024, according to the Road Safety Prosecutor's Office, more than 50,000 drivers were convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

In addition to these regulatory or criminal penalties, the most significant consequence is that the life of a person who has killed others in a traffic accident due to the recklessness of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is never the same.

As part of this campaign, the National Federation of Spinal Cord Injured and Other Physical Disabilities (ASPAYM) is once again collaborating with the DGT to raise awareness among drivers about the serious risk of driving under the influence of psychotropic substances. Under the slogan "Don't speed, don't drink... don't change the wheels," volunteers with spinal cord injuries, victims of traffic accidents, will accompany officers at alcohol and drug checkpoints in provinces such as Asturias, Cádiz, Madrid, Murcia, or Seville.

At the time of detention, ASPAYM volunteers will approach the vehicles, conveying the campaign's message and, through their presence, highlighting the irreversible consequences and sequelae that can result from traffic accidents. This initiative, which was awarded in 2015 at the Ponle Freno Awards and received an Honourable Mention Luis Antona in 2024, aims to generate a direct and reflective impact on drivers, reinforcing the importance of responsible and safe driving during this summer and beyond.