The DGT Launches a Major Operation for a Record-Breaking Summer on Spanish Roads

The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, today unveiled the special operation by the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) for the summer of 2025, a period expected to surpass one hundred million long-distance journeys, setting a new historical record. In light of this unprecedented figure, the DGT will intensify surveillance and deploy an ambitious plan to ensure safety on Spanish roads.

In addition to the more than one hundred million long-distance trips, numerous short-distance journeys, which are of greater concern to the DGT, will also take place.

These trips, often made on less secure conventional roads and in familiar environments where attention tends to wane, account for the majority of fatal accidents during the summer. The main goal is clear: to prevent the increase in movements from translating into a rise in road fatalities. "Last summer recorded 243 fatalities, 3.9 deaths per day, too many," Grande-Marlaska reminded.

During the summer months, the DGT will intensify its traffic regulation, surveillance, and management actions. The operation includes specific operations every weekend of the summer period, with special reinforcement on the first weekends of each month or during specific holidays. This year, five special traffic operations have been established.

In addition to national traffic, Spanish roads will host numerous vehicles from other European countries, either destined for Spain or transiting to Portugal or North Africa. The Strait Crossing Operation, which anticipates a 5% increase over last year's 850,000 vehicles, is particularly noteworthy. To this end, the DGT has implemented a special plan covering main routes such as the Mediterranean Corridor, the Central Corridor, and the Silver Route, with a human deployment of over 27,000 people, rest areas, information points, and an advanced system with more than 2,400 information panels and 2,000 cameras. Surveillance is also reinforced in the Portugal Crossing Operation.

The DGT's main concerns focus on motorcyclists, a group that recorded 76 fatalities last summer, the highest figure in ten years. Most of these accidents occurred on conventional roads during the weekend, due to road departures and involved motorcyclists on high-displacement bikes with more than ten years of license age. Motorcyclists represent less than 3% of trips but account for 25% of fatalities. The minister highlighted collaboration with the National Motorcyclists Association to promote actions to curb this dramatic figure.

Other risk factors concerning Traffic include road departures (40% of fatal accidents), distractions at the wheel (the leading cause of accidents), pedestrian accidents (9% of fatalities), alcohol and drugs, and the age group between 45 and 54 years, which recorded the highest accident rate last summer.

Grande-Marlaska concluded his presentation with a message of awareness to citizens: "It is not reasonable to risk life for enjoying one more drink or arriving five minutes earlier. After the accident, all that loses meaning." He urged planning trips well to avoid traffic jams, not using WhatsApp groups that warn of alcohol and drug checks (describing them as "unsupportive"), and exercising extreme caution on short trips.

The minister also expressed gratitude for the "tireless work" of the Guardia Civil Traffic Group officers, whom he described as "road angels," highlighting their professionalism and dedication to road safety. "Road safety is a national project; if we are prudent and responsible, we all benefit," he concluded.