article_detail

Distracted driving has emerged as a leading cause of fatal accidents on roads in the Region of Murcia, responsible for 37% of deaths so far this year. This marks a worrying rise from 2024, when distractions accounted for 23% of fatal collisions, according to the Government Delegation.

 

Since January, there have been 43 fatal accidents on urban and interurban roads, with 16 attributed directly to distractions behind the wheel. This figure highlights the growing risk careless behaviours pose to drivers and others sharing the road in Murcia.

 

To tackle the issue, the Provincial Traffic Department launched a special control and surveillance campaign running until 12 October. As part of this initiative, authorities will monitor roughly 16,000 vehicles to crack down on risky behaviours that threaten road safety. The department’s head, Virginia Jerez, highlighted last year’s campaign when 16,453 vehicles were checked and 395 drivers reported, mainly for mobile phone use (66.8%), followed by reading while driving (6.5%) and wearing headphones (4.3%).

 

Distracted driving has been the top risk factor in fatal accidents across Spain since 2017, contributing heavily to both the total number of collisions and fatalities. The Spanish Road Safety Strategy 2030 has prioritised eliminating high-risk driving behaviours as part of its zero tolerance approach, advocating better surveillance and the use of new technology to monitor infractions, particularly mobile phone use.

 

This year’s campaign has seen 27 municipalities in Murcia join in, including Cartagena, Lorca, Mazarrón, Molina de Segura, Murcia city and San Javier, among others. These combined efforts aim to reduce accidents caused by distractions through targeted enforcement and raising awareness among drivers.

 

 

The message is clear: staying focused behind the wheel saves lives. With the rise in distracted-driving fatalities, everyone on Murcia’s roads must do their part by avoiding distractions and adhering to traffic laws to protect themselves and others.

 

This crackdown comes at an important time for Murcia’s road safety and hopes to reverse the upward trend in fatal accidents linked to distracted driving.

 

 

 

Image: Netto Figueiredo/Pixabay