Slow down for safety

THE DGT traffic authority is once again running an anti-speeding campaign on the roads this week, paying particular attention to the province’s 30 officially dangerous stretches.

Focused on secondary roads, the current campaign will see Guardia Civil traffic patrols and Local Police officers using both fixed and mobile radars to ensnare those in an unnecessary hurry.

Since the beginning of this year the DGT has updated its lists of black spots twice, with Almeria Province now considered to contain more than 414 kilometres of perilous stretches.

Speeding is one of the main causes of accidents and fines in Almeria, alongside alcohol and drugs. Since the new licence point system came into effect in 2006, more than 99,000 points have been taken away from local drivers for speeding alone.

More to the point, the DGT reports that if speed limits were respected, a quarter of all traffic accident deaths could be avoided. Every year more than 300 people die on Spanish roads in accidents caused by drivers ignoring limits.

Around 15 million drivers in the country admit to regular speeding, a reality which the authority continues to try to change through its campaigns, especially during holiday periods when the roads are busier than usual.