Spaniards confess: they commit many recklessness behind the wheel

It seems that we Spaniards are a bit reckless when we get behind the wheel. In fact, it appears we are even capable of going one step further and committing some of the offences set out in current legislation. This emerges from the results of a study in which 4.5 million Spanish drivers admit to having committed, at some point in their lives, an offence related to road safety.

This figure represents 17% of Spanish drivers, who have carried out acts that fall into this category and that pose a serious risk not only to themselves but to all other road users. Indeed, it is estimated that 14% of road traffic fatalities are victims of other drivers’ recklessness. A figure that should make us think quite a lot about the responsibility we bear towards other drivers.

More data. These offences account for 35% of those committed in Spain, a truly high figure that is not really taken into account when they are committed. Misinformation makes it seem that this type of offence is not really important, but we have already seen how driving at high speeds, having consumed alcohol or drugs, or even without a licence, meaning that basic safety rules are not known, can lead to accidents and even deaths.

The authorities have begun to take this type of offence seriously, and since 2008 900,000 proceedings have been carried out, of which 650,000 ended in convictions. However, there are some 9 million drivers who are not aware that these kinds of actions can lead to imprisonment. And acts against road safety remain quite serious and continue to occur.

In this case we are not talking about slightly exceeding the speed limit or accidentally running a red light. When we speak of offences related to road safety we mean driving at 200 km/h on a motorway, exceeding 90 km/h in an urban area, creating risks for pedestrians who happen to be in the way (remember the Farruquito case?), or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In any of these cases accidents can occur that not only endanger one’s own safety, but can leave victims as a result of such risky behaviour. Over the last 8 years a total of 2,400 people have died as a result of an accident caused by a driver who exceeded the alcohol limit, was speeding or was driving under the effects of drugs, among other serious offences.

The most common offence is driving under the effects of alcohol and drugs, a risky activity that accounts for 60% of the offences recorded, while in second place we find driving without a licence, with 27% of incidents. In third place is causing dangerous driving situations, at 7%, and in fourth place there is a 3.5% of drivers who refuse to take alcohol and drug tests. If we look at the prison population for an offence against road safety, there are currently 1,200 people serving sentences for it. 39% are there for driving without a licence and 22% for causing death by reckless driving.

All of these figures come from the study “Road offences and crime in Spain. Evolution of crime against road safety (2012-2015)“, presented by the Línea Directa Foundation and carried out in collaboration with FESVIAL (Spanish Road Safety Foundation). It studied 580,000 trials for these offences and the 450,000 convictions that resulted from them, and also surveyed 1,700 drivers across Spain to determine perceptions of this type of offence.

Drivers aged between 18 and 24 are the ones who most readily admit to having committed these offences, while those convicted in such trials tend to be men aged between 41 and 50. As for perceptions of these offences, 91% of those surveyed believe that penalties for those who commit these offences should be toughened. And if it involves a famous person, the penalties should be harsher, so that they serve an exemplary function for society. And you, what do you think about this subject? Tell us!