Hidden Cameras Trigger Soaring Driver Fines In Spain
Spain News
Published: 30 May 2023 14:30 CET
The Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) in Spain has experienced a significant surge in the number of fines issued to motorists, primarily due to the increased deployment of hidden traffic cameras on the country's roads.
According to a recent report by the Automovilistas Europeos Asociados (AEA), the DGT handed out a staggering 5,542,178 fines in 2022, amounting to a substantial 507,361,888 euros. This figure represents a notable increase of 15.6 percent compared to the fines issued in 2021, which amounted to 4,793,520.
The report highlighted that the most common offence among drivers was speeding, accounting for two-thirds of all fines issued. Following closely behind was the failure to pass the ITV technical vehicle inspection test, which resulted in 618,375 fines, an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the previous year. Other notable offences included driving without a licence (137,475 fines), an 8.4 percent increase, not wearing a seatbelt (105,996 fines), a marginal increase of 0.16 percent, and driving while using a mobile phone.
However, the report also revealed some positive trends. Instances of driving under the influence of drugs decreased significantly by 48.38 percent, with 26,126 reports in 2022 compared to 50,613 in 2021. Additionally, the use of mobile phones while driving decreased by 13.05 percent, and cases of reckless driving decreased by 3.10 percent.
Despite these positive shifts, the AEA raised concerns about certain alarming increases in specific types of offences. Instances of driving over the permitted alcohol limit increased by a substantial 51.8 percent, rising from 56,073 reports in 2021 to 85,130 in 2022. Moreover, reports of driving without insurance and failure to identify the driver by vehicle owners also witnessed respective increases of 21 percent and 21.7 percent.
Fines by region
The AEA report also provided insights into regional variations. Fines increased significantly in Andalucía (42.8 percent), Extremadura (32.3 percent), Cantabria (26.3 percent), La Rioja (24.7 percent), Madrid (21.2 percent), the Balearic Islands (18.1 percent), Valencia (18 percent), Ceuta and Melilla (13.2 percent), Castile-La Mancha (9.2 percent), Galicia (1.3 percent), and the Canary Islands (0.9 percent). Conversely, speeding incidents decreased in Navarra (-8 percent), Castilla y León (-2.9 percent), Murcia (-2.1 percent), Aragón (-1.5 percent), and Asturias (-0.4 percent).
In terms of fines issued per kilometre, Andalucía reported the highest number of offences (1,402,101 reports). However, the Community of Madrid recorded the highest density of offences in relation to its road network, with 158 reports per kilometre. On the other hand, Castile and Leon reported the fewest offences per kilometre of road, with just 17 reports.
Sources
https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/number-fines-handed-out-spain-rocket-following-20230529182408-nt.html
https://buenaventuraenlinea.com/las-multas-a-los-conductores-se-disparan-en-espana-gracias-a-las-nuevas-camaras-ocultas/
Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay
