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Half of road deaths in Spain linked to drink driving over last 25 years
Campaigners renew calls for tougher action as festive season approaches
More than half of the 73,500 people who have lost their lives on Spanish roads over the past 25 years were over the legal alcohol limit, according to new figures released this week by the Stop Accidents victims’ platform.The figures were presented on Tuesday December 16 as the victims’ association marked the 25th anniversary of its creation, using the moment to renew its call for tougher drink driving laws and stronger political commitment. For those behind the figures, the message is a sobering one.
Ana Novella, president of Stop Accidents, said progress in reducing road deaths has stalled. “In terms of traffic accidents, we are on a straight line that there is no way to go down,” she said. “Society has become accustomed to the fact that around 1,800 people die every year on the roads, and that should never be normal.” Her comments echo growing concern about alcohol-related driving across Spain, following recent regional data showing how often drink and drugs are still involved in fatal crashes.
She believes those numbers could be reduced through stronger road safety education and a renewed effort to change attitudes, particularly around alcohol. As Novella put it, “Every death is one too many, especially when it could have been avoided.”
The organisation’s vice president, David Pérez, highlighted that alcohol continues to play a decisive role in fatal crashes. According to Stop Accidents, 70 percent of those who die after testing positive for alcohol had blood alcohol levels exceeding 1.20. “These figures should be changing by now,” Pérez said. “But society has not fully grasped the seriousness of the problem.”
He expressed frustration that a long-announced proposal to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers has yet to be implemented, calling for greater urgency and responsibility. “Life does not follow parliamentary procedures,” he said. “Blocking measures that save lives is irresponsible.”
Stop Accidents insists that the issue goes beyond politics. “This is not about parties or governments,” Pérez added. “It is about consistency, humanity, and protecting people who use our roads every day.”
Fernando Muñoz, a national representative of the association, explained that the main causes of fatal traffic accidents in Spain remain alcohol, speeding and distractions. Most victims are aged between 45 and 54, and around 80 percent are men. “Alcohol is still the leading cause of fatal accidents in our country,” he said. “Driving under the influence should face not only legal consequences but strong social condemnation.”
As the festive season approaches, the message takes on added urgency. Christmas is traditionally a time of family gatherings, celebrations and travel, but it is also one of the most dangerous periods on the roads. Campaigners are urging drivers to plan ahead, avoid alcohol altogether if driving, and remember that one poor decision can have lifelong consequences.
“Our wish is simple,” Pérez said. “That everyone gets home safely.”
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