Road Deaths Fell by 12% in 2012
January 4th, 2013
According to the latest traffic data, 1,304 people died on Spanish roads over the past year, which means a reduction of 12% compared to 2011, i.e. 180 fatalities less. For the second consecutive year, the number of road deaths stands at below 1,500 and puts the figure at levels similar to 1960, when 1,300 people were killed on inter-city roads, although at that time there were only a million cars and 2.2 million drivers. Today, there are 31.4 million vehicles on the roads and 26.2 million drivers.
This was noted in a press conference attended by Interior Minister, Jorge Fernandez Diaz, and the Director General of Traffic, Maria Segui, who said they were encouraged by these results, but stressed that there are still “1,304 reasons” compelling them to “keep working” to reduce accidents. These figures, however, correspond to the number of people who died within 24 hours after the accident, so it will be greater when the number who died within thirty days are included.
In the 1,179 fatal incidents, 6,161 other people were seriously injured, compared with 7,069 a year earlier.
According to the traffic data, the last year ended recording an average of 3.6 road accident deaths per day, which is eight deaths each day less than in year 2000.
Diario Sur reported that the number of accidents decreased in all regions (more in La Rioja, Cantabria and Murcia and less in Catalonia), except in Navarra, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country and Asturias, where the number of deaths compared to 2011 increased by 33%, 22%, 7% and 3%, respectively. 77% of the deaths occurred on conventional roads and the remaining 23% on motorways, and although fatalities decreased on all roads, the numbers decreased more on motorways (14%).
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