Last April the European Commission has published the updated 2020 road fatality data. According to the information, last year about 18,000 people lost their lives in road accidents, which means a decrease of 17% compared to 2019. Figure that places Spain as the fourth best European country in road safety.
The pandemic has done its part
The figure seems to be subject to what has been an atypical period in which the pandemic has conditioned everything and that is why the challenge is to consolidate this positive trend in road safety in Spain.
To achieve this, changes to traffic regulations were approved last November and further modifications are planned to improve safety for vulnerable road users.
In Spain, the General Directorate of Traffic reported that the home confinement established during the first state of alarm left streets and roads practically empty, which led to a relaxation of drivers in terms of driving safety and an increase in penalties.
Despite falling short of all the proposed targets with an average of 42 road fatalities per million inhabitants, the EU remains the continent with the highest levels of road safety, the world average being over 180.
More pedestrians, more air
The pandemic has caused many cities to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians, a measure that can lead to a positive impact on air quality and that rethinks local authorities about the spaces used by the population.
About 70% of the fatalities in urban areas are road users: motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, so say figures that portray the entire EU.
For this reason, the Commission wants to ensure that road safety is taken into account at all stages of urban movement planning.
Only two European capitals, Helsinki and Oslo, achieved the desirable: zero pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in 2019. Fundamental to achieving this was the adoption of speed measures.
In Spain, since last May, new limits of 20 km/h and 30 km/h in the city have been established.
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