Results of the latest campaign monitoring secondary roads in Spain have revealed that excessive speed, not using seatbelts or child restraints and lack of maintenance as the top three traffic violations reported.
The campaign, which ran from the 19th to the 25th of October, saw more than half a million vehicles checked and 27,370 drivers reported, 5.15% of the total.
Of the drivers sanctioned in the campaign, 39% of them were reported for exceeding the maximum permitted speed limit, and 13% were exceeding the limit by 20 kilometres per hour over that maximum. In total, 16,564 drivers have been reported for speeding.
The second most common report was for the non-use of seat belts. In one week alone, 1,349 people were reported for not wearing a seat belt, as well as those responsible for the welfare of children in the vehicle were reported for carrying 81 children in vehicles where they were not secured in the appropriate child restraint system.
In addition, 57 people were reported for not wearing a crash helmet on a motorbike or scooter. Thus increasing the risk of becoming one of the three out of four bikers who die as a result of head injuries.
Bearing in mind that wearing any kind of device in your ear is illegal in Spain, including headphones and hands-free mobile devices, 1,113 drivers were sanctioned for distractions whilst driving, including the wearing of such devices.
Plus, 1,196 drivers tested positive in alcohol and drug tests, 308 were reported for dangerous overtaking and 292 failed to stop or give way at a junction.
Regarding vehicle maintenance standards, 1,324 drivers were reported for driving vehicles with technical defects and another 67 for major faults resulting in the vehicle being immobilised by traffic officers.
Finally, 1,447 drivers were reported for not having the correct documentation, relating to the vehicle, in most cases not having an up to date ITV, and another 750 were reported for driver documentation errors.