Spain road checks catch 585 drink or drug drivers a day as testing continues

A roadside stop can now involve more than just a quick breathalyser test. During their summer campaign, Guardia Civil found fewer positive drug screens overall this July, yet cocaine detections moved sharply in the other direction, and the testing will continue long after the campaign week.

Cocaine detections rise over 12 per cent 

The Guardia Civil Traffic Group recorded 924 cocaine detections during roadside drug screening between July 13 and 19, according to results published by Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT). During the equivalent campaign in July 2025, cocaine was detected in 822 cases. This year’s figure was 102 higher, representing an increase of just over 12 per cent.

The rise stands out because preliminary drug positives overall moved in the opposite direction, falling by around 18 per cent from 2,248 last year to 1,835 this year. Cannabis detections also dropped from 1,634 to 1,135, although it remained the most frequently identified substance in drivers.

Across alcohol and drug testing combined, Guardia Civil carried out 218,949 tests and recorded 4,094 positives. That included 2,259 for alcohol and 1,835 preliminary drug positives, equivalent to 585 motorists per day or one every two and a half minutes.

One in three drug tests came out positive

The DGT highlighted that one in three drug tests returned a preliminary positive result. However, that figure does need a bit of context: Officers carried out 5,779 drug tests, compared with 213,170 alcohol tests. Drug screening was therefore administered much less widely, meaning the result cannot be presented as evidence that one in three motorists stopped had taken drugs.

The roadside saliva test is also an initial screening measure. A positive result requires a second saliva sample to be sent to a laboratory for confirmation. 

Almost 89 per cent of all alcohol and drug positives were found during preventive checks. The remainder followed traffic offences, road accidents or visible symptoms. Officers also detected alcohol in 4,233 drivers who remained below the legal limit. These were not included among the 2,259 alcohol positives, although the DGT maintains that 0.0 is the only completely safe level before driving.

Spain’s roadside drug tests use saliva, not breath

Alcohol is measured through authorised breath-testing equipment, while drug screening uses saliva. If the initial drug test is positive, a further sample is collected for laboratory analysis. Under Spain’s Traffic Law, drivers must submit to these checks. A vehicle can be immobilised following a positive result or if the driver refuses testing.

A short reminder of the rules: The general alcohol limit remains 0.25 milligrams per litre of exhaled air. It is 0.15mg/l for professional and newly qualified drivers, while under-18s are subject to a zero limit. A proposal to reduce the general limit to 0.10mg/l was rejected by Congress in March 2026, so that lower figure is not in force.

Readings above 0.25mg/l and up to 0.50mg/l normally carry a €500 fine and four licence points. Above 0.50mg/l, the penalty rises to €1,000 and six points. Driving with drugs present in the body carries a €1,000 fine and six points.

The law excludes medication taken under medical prescription for therapeutic reasons, provided the driver remains fit to control the vehicle safely and can prove their prescription. 

During the July campaign, 217 motorists were referred to the courts after exceeding 0.60mg/l of alcohol in breath, and seven more faced proceedings after refusing an alcohol test.

The campaign has ended, but roadside testing has not

The special operation finished on July 19, but the DGT said Guardia Civil officers will continue rigorous alcohol and drug tests throughout the summer, at any hour and on any road.

Local and regional police forces also participated, extending the checks to urban as well as interurban roads. Their results were still being processed when the Guardia Civil figures were released, meaning 4,094 is not yet a final combined total for every participating force.