A-7 motorway: Speed cameras fail to reduce accident rates

Over the past 17 months, Spain has installed speed cameras up and down the A7 motorway in an attempt to reduce accident rates.

The A-7 is a very busy motorway, with a high density of vehicles. This is due to the fact that it is located directly on the coast and links all coastal municipalities.

The A-7 motorway runs along the Mediterranean coast of Spain

Due to its location, this motorway features numerous exits from housing developments with very short or no acceleration lanes. Often the driver of the right lane is forced to suddenly brake due to reckless merges.

These factors make this toll-free motorway particularly notable for its high accident rate.

65,000 speeding incidents caught on the A-7 in the past 17 months

Since March 2023, cameras installed on the A-7 have been in active enforcement recording more than 65,000 speeding incidents. 

Out of the total recorded offences, 48,495 involved minor violations where the driver was caught travelling between 90 and 96 km/h, just slightly over the 90 km/h speed limit, although still an offence. 

10,691 motorists were recorded driving above that, at speeds between 96 and 100 km/h, whereas 4,633 were caught travelling between 101 and 110 km/h, and a further 1,611 drivers were found driving between 111 and 130 km/h.

Getting worse, 205 motorists were caught at racing speeds, exceeding 130 km/h, a staggering 40 km/h over the speed limit. 

Speed camera installations fail to reduce speeding accidents

In a review of accident data on the A7, spanning over the past seven years, the statistics indicate that the introduction of speed cameras has had a minimal effect on the frequency of accidents, with many drivers just facing the financial consequences that come with speeding.

Speed cameras have been a contesting point in Spain, with controversial decisions to install anti-braking speed cameras – to catch those slowing down rapidly before speed cameras or speeding up after – as well as stretch radars; both of which are featured on the A-7.