Driving in Spain this week? Count on extra police alcohol and drug checks

For those who’re planning a highway journey, heading to the seashore or just driving to work this week, there’s a a lot better likelihood you’ll be stopped by police. Spain’s Directorate Normal of Site visitors (DGT) has launched a nationwide marketing campaign focusing on drink and drug driving, with further roadside checks going down till 19 July.

The marketing campaign comes after worrying new figures confirmed that alcohol was concerned in 28 per cent of all deadly visitors accidents recorded by the DGT in 2024. Much more placing, the variety of individuals killed in crashes the place a minimum of one driver examined optimistic for alcohol rose by 9 per cent in contrast with 2023 and by 24 per cent in contrast with 2019.

For drivers, whether or not you’re travelling throughout Spain for the summer time holidays or making a brief journey near dwelling, count on to see extra police controls on each main roads and in cities and cities over the approaching days.

Why Spain is growing roadside alcohol and drug checks

The DGT says the marketing campaign is designed to deal with one of many nation’s largest highway security issues.

Though consciousness of the risks of drink driving has improved over time, alcohol continues to play a significant function in deadly collisions.

In accordance with official figures, 273 individuals died in deadly crashes linked to alcohol in 2024 throughout the areas coated by the DGT.

The statistics recommend the issue isn’t getting smaller. Not solely has the variety of alcohol associated deaths elevated, however alcohol can be showing in the next proportion of significant accidents than in earlier years.

The DGT believes preventive roadside checks stay one of the vital efficient methods to cut back that danger.

The truth is, virtually 89 per cent of optimistic alcohol checks are detected throughout routine roadside controls moderately than after accidents. From the authorities’ perspective, meaning hundreds of doubtless harmful drivers are being faraway from the roads earlier than a collision occurs.

The marketing campaign is being carried out by the Guardia Civil Site visitors Group, with regional and native police forces becoming a member of the operation in lots of elements of Spain to extend checks in city areas as nicely.

Drivers might subsequently encounter alcohol and drug controls virtually wherever, from motorways to native roads.

The figures behind the marketing campaign

The DGT’s considerations are supported by knowledge from the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences.

Its newest report discovered that 34 per cent of drivers who died in highway accidents and underwent toxicology testing had alcohol of their system, whereas 16.4 per cent examined optimistic for medication.

In practically one in 4 circumstances, the alcohol degree exceeded 1.20 mg/l, nicely above the brink that may result in prison prosecution in Spain.

In accordance with Álvaro Gómez, director of the DGT’s Nationwide Highway Security Observatory, scientific proof continues to level in the identical path.

He mentioned that the one actually secure alcohol degree when driving is zero, including that many worldwide highway security organisations advocate reducing authorized alcohol limits due to their confirmed influence on lowering severe crashes.

Analysis exhibits that the dangers start growing lengthy earlier than a driver reaches the prison restrict.

At 0.5 g/l of alcohol within the blood, the chance of being concerned in a collision roughly doubles.

At 0.8 g/l, the chance turns into round 5 instances greater.

At 1.5 g/l, it could possibly enhance by as a lot as twenty instances.

Alcohol additionally impacts response instances, coordination, judgement and imaginative and prescient, making it tougher for drivers to reply rapidly even after they imagine they continue to be in management.

What penalties might drivers face?

For anybody tempted to take the chance, Spain’s penalties stay among the many hardest in Europe.

Drivers who report greater than 0.25 mg/l however as much as 0.50 mg/l in breath alcohol face a €500 wonderful and the lack of 4 licence factors.

Anybody above 0.50 mg/l faces a €1,000 wonderful and 6 factors.

Repeat offenders can even obtain a €1,000 wonderful, along with the lack of 4 or six factors relying on the alcohol degree recorded.

Testing optimistic for medication carries a €1,000 wonderful and the lack of six factors.

The implications turn into way more severe when prison thresholds are reached.

Drivers who report greater than 0.60 mg/l of alcohol in breath or 1.2 g/l in blood might face between three and 6 months in jail, a considerable wonderful or group service, along with a driving ban lasting between one and 4 years.

Refusing to take an alcohol or drug take a look at is itself a prison offence and may end up in six months to 1 yr in jail, together with the identical driving disqualification.

In accordance with Spain’s Highway Security Prosecutor’s Workplace, 47,103 drivers had been convicted in 2025 for driving inebriated or medication.

A marketing campaign constructed round actual life tales

As in earlier years, the DGT is working alongside ASPAYM, Spain’s Nationwide Federation of Folks with Spinal Wire Accidents and Different Bodily Disabilities.

Volunteers who had been themselves critically injured in highway accidents will accompany visitors officers at chosen roadside checks throughout Spain.

Their function is to not implement the legislation however to talk instantly with motorists concerning the lifelong penalties a single resolution can have.

The marketing campaign’s message, ‘Don’t pace, don’t drink… don’t change the wheels,’ is meant to remind drivers that highway security isn’t solely about avoiding fines.

For a lot of households, one poor resolution lasts far longer than any penalty issued on the roadside.

As tens of millions of individuals proceed travelling throughout Spain throughout the busy summer time interval, the DGT says its recommendation stays unchanged. For those who’re driving, the most secure quantity of alcohol is none in any respect.