The number of people killed remained stable, and the number of long-distance trips increased (+2%), the number of vehicles (+1.7%) and the number of drivers (+0.4%).
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1,145 people died in road traffic crashes
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, presents the Road Safety Balance 2023. The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, presents the provisional balance of accidents recorded on Spanish roads in 2023.
The Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska has presented the provisional balance of the accidents registered on Spanish roads last year; 1,048 fatal accidents in which 1,145 people died, three less than in 2022, and another 4,495 people suffered injuries that required hospitalization.
The presentation of this annual balance was made at the Madrid headquarters of the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), and the Minister of the Interior was accompanied by the undersecretary of the department, Susana Crisóstomo, and by the Director General of Traffic, Pere Navarro.
The figures released on Thursday are part of a context in which long-distance trips have increased by 2 per cent, the number of vehicles (1.7 per cent) and the number of drivers (0.4). In 2023, 448.7 million road trips were made, with the vehicle fleet standing at 36.6 million and the driver census rising to 27.8 million.
“You have heard me say on numerous occasions that most traffic accidents are avoidable and that reducing these tragic figures is in our hands if we all redouble our efforts to that end”, stressed Grande-Marlaska in the presentation of the balance, where he reiterated a “call to the responsibility of drivers, because avoiding distractions, respecting traffic rules and using safety systems are three simple elements that can greatly reduce these dramatic figures and the human tragedies that lie behind them”.
The evolution of the accident rate over the 365 days of the past year has been variable, as shown in the following data:
The figures released on Thursday are part of a context in which long-distance trips have increased by 2 per cent, the number of vehicles (1.7 per cent) and the number of drivers (0.4). In 2023, 448.7 million road trips were made, with the vehicle fleet standing at 36.6 million and the driver census rising to 27.8 million.
“You have heard me say on numerous occasions that most traffic accidents are avoidable and that reducing these tragic figures is in our hands if we all redouble our efforts to that end”, stressed Grande-Marlaska in the presentation of the balance, where he reiterated a “call to the responsibility of drivers, because avoiding distractions, respecting traffic rules and using safety systems are three simple elements that can greatly reduce these dramatic figures and the human tragedies that lie behind them”.
The evolution of the accident rate over the 365 days of the past year has been variable, as shown in the following data:
First analysis of the accident rate
By type of road: Of the 1,145 people killed, 849 (74%) died in accidents that took place on conventional roads, 21 people more than in 2022.
The number of fatalities on high-capacity roads has decreased compared to the previous year. Specifically, 296 people died in 2023, 24 fewer than in 2022.
These data confirm that the relationship that 3 out of every 4 fatalities occur in accidents that take place on conventional roads remains stable.By type of accident: Run-off-the-road continues to be the type of accident with the highest number of fatalities, with 486 people, 42% of the total number of fatalities, a figure similar to that of last year. On the other hand, the number of fatalities in head-on collisions decreased by 9%.Number of people killed according to type of accident.Interurban roadsBy type of user: There was a 9% increase in the number of vulnerable road users killed, with 463 fatalities, 38 more than in 2022.This increase, which has been uneven among the different types of vulnerable users, as can be seen in the following table, is mainly due to motorcyclists, whose mortality has increased by 19% compared to 2022.
This increase, which has been uneven among the different types of vulnerable users, as can be seen in the following table, is mainly due to motorcyclists, whose mortality has increased by 19% concerning 2022.
It should be noted that almost half of the pedestrians killed were killed in accidents that took place on highways and freeways (56) compared to 62 on conventional roads.
Number of people killed according to means of travel. Interurban roads
Taking into account the evolution since 2012, the only means of travel that has increased the accident rate is that of motorcyclists with an increase of 37% (from 218 to 299). In contrast, the number of cyclists killed has remained constant over the last decade, in an environment of increased bicycle use and with the challenge of not increasing the accident rate.
Pedestrians, those travelling in cars and trucks have also reduced their mortality since 2012, with 11%, 23% and 34% decreases respectively.
By characteristics of the victim: the age group with the highest increase in mortality is 45 to 54 years old with 228 people killed, 20% of the total and with figures 11% higher than in 2022. Infant mortality also increases, as the year 2023 records a total of 22 deaths between 0 and 14 years of age, the second-highest figure in the last 10 years only behind 2014.
The group aged 65 and over accounted for 18% of the deaths (206), with a decrease of 10% (-24) compared to 2022.
By sex, men accounted for 79% of the fatalities (905) compared to women (236) who accounted for the remaining 21%. These figures are 1% lower than in 2022 in the case of men but remain unchanged in the case of women.
By seasonality of the accident: 57% of the fatalities (658) occurred on working days compared to 43% (487) on weekends. Safety accessories: 138 people travelling in cars and vans were not wearing seat belts. In the case of the motorcyclists who died, 8 of them were not wearing helmets and 9 of the cyclists who died were not wearing helmets either. By location of the accident: Andalusia and Catalonia recorded the highest figures for road accidents, in both cases there was a significant difference between the two regions.
By location of the accident: Andalusia and Catalonia recorded the highest figures for road accidents, in both cases with a decrease compared to last year of 12% (-26) and 5% (-8) respectively. On the other hand, La Rioja and Navarra registered the lowest figures with 1% of the total, with 11 and 13 deaths respectively.
Number of deaths according to Autonomous Community
Measures to be adopted
Given these statistics, the Ministry of the Interior’s road safety policy for 2024 will prioritize issues such as motorcyclist fatalities, road accidents, distractions and drowsiness, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Motorcyclists are one of the most worrying groups for the Ministry of the Interior, which is preparing several measures to try to reduce the accident rate of this group:
Updating the content of the courses for the recovery of points to incorporate a specific profile for motorcyclists who have lost their points balance and for whom safe and efficient driving courses will be programmed.
Establishment of a mandatory course for B license drivers with three years of seniority who want to drive motorcycles up to 125 cubic centimetres.
Mandatory use of full-face or modular helmets and approved gloves for motorcyclists on the road.
In addition to these measures, the DGT will review the traffic regulations:
Reform the Traffic Regulations to update the Traffic Signal Catalog.
He will promote the reform of the Regulations on Drivers, Vehicles and Traffic for the regulation of autonomous vehicles.
Grande-Marlaska has also taken stock of the six months of the European Presidency, during which a meeting of the High Level Group on Road Safety was held in Madrid and two general guidelines have been reached in the EU Council on the Driving Licenses Directive (the current one is from 2006) and the Directive on Cross-Border Exchange on Traffic Offences (the current one is from 2015).
The Minister of the Interior concluded with the commitment that “all of us who are part of the Ministry of the Interior will continue working constantly on these and other measures to improve coordination between administrations, increase public-private collaboration, call for greater self-responsibility of drivers and users of our roads and, of course, we will continue to put the maximum effort of all of us who are part of the Ministry of the Interior to achieve a reduction in road mortality figures”.