Belt up and slow down

SEATBELT and speeding offences are the main points losers for drivers in Almeria province.

Despite numerous awareness campaigns, television adverts and checkpoints, speeding was the number one traffic offence for drivers in Almeria province for the seventh consecutive year.

Since 2006, a total of 21,769 speeding complaints have been filed in the province, which is more than half of all driving offences.  But the implementation of the driving licence points system coupled to the temporary reduction of the 120 kph maximum speed to 110 resulted in fewer fines being issued, including a 70 per cent decrease for a six-month period.

The Almeria Provincial Traffic Office estimates as much as €10 million may have been collected in the province in speeding fines alone.

In the last seven years the second most common driving offence in the province – with a total of 18,725 complaints – was not using a seatbelt or authorised child seat/booster cushion. In third place came drink driving.