Complain, if you want, about the crackdown on dangerous driving in Spain. The figures tell their own story, last year saw the lowest number of deaths from traffic accidents since 1964, and you have to bear in mind that there are now 15 vehicles for every one that existed 45 years ago. It's a combination of factors that have seen road deaths more than halved in the last 6 years alone, from campaigns against drunk driving to the points system for licences and the increased use of speed traps. When I arrived in Spain in the second half of the 1990's it was still common for people to get completely drunk in a village bar and then drive a long way home. Now it has become quite normal for the person doing the driving driving to steer clear of alcohol on a night out. Most people no longer drive so fast, it may be for fear of fines or losing points but the system is working to the extent that this year there were almost 300 fewer deaths than last; even after the sharp decline of recent years. There's not much to celebrate about 2009, but at least more people survived it than might have been the case a few years ago.
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2 weeks ago
5 comments:
Didn't they relax the points system a few weeks ago, though?
The figures from 20-25 years ago are horrific. It's surprising anybody survived.
I don't know about any relaxation of the points, but I do know that certain offences, such as the attempted assassination of pedestrians at major Madrid junctions, still seem to gain points for drivers rater than lose them.
In Pamplona it is illegal to park legally, to use one's indicators or to remain in the same lane while traversing a stretch of the ring road
I think these news are brilliant. I wonder how much of it is due to the recession....as in behaviour less exhuberant resulting in less accidents. I remember the 70s and 80s. Two friends of mine died in road accidents before they reached 25. Things have definitely changed even if northern europeans might still easily become exasperated by Spanish driving (and parking) practices. I hope the momentum is kept although I believe we will see a much lower reduction next year -stagnation even- in the number of deaths. Meanwhile in Russia 25000 die every year in road accidents. Make the numbers yourselves....
Who would complain?
I think that it is a mixture of the rod (the points and penalty system) and awareness raising, not to mention the secularization of the country.
While the first 2 points are probably clear, the last might not be to those who have not lived in extremely religious countries (as Spain used to be).
Take Saudi Arabia for example, they have the worst mortality rate on the road in the world, and this is because they believe that everything is in god's hands, including the steering wheel.
I'll raise a glass or 2 to awareness raising of all types!
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