The DGT presents its new campaign for this summer, "knowing it is the first step to avoiding it"

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The Directorate-General for Traffic has presented its new awareness campaign for this summer. The slogan is “knowing it is the first step to avoiding it“, because every year more than 100 people die from pedestrian knockdowns on the road, a figure that is little known unless the person knocked down is someone well known or even a celebrity. Amaia Romeo and Eduard Fernández, singer and actor, respectively, are the visible faces of this campaign.

Just days before the start of July and the summer holidays for thousands of citizens, the Directorate-General for Traffic is launching a new awareness campaign to prevent road accidents. This year, the campaign has focused on pedestrian knockdowns on interurban roads, a fatal road accident of which there is barely any awareness or knowledge, as it is mostly confined to the family or personal sphere. This changes when the person knocked down is a well-known or famous person, in which case the social impact is greater.

“Knowing it is the first step to avoiding it”

Every year more than 1⃣0⃣0⃣ people die after being knocked down on the road

Knowing it is the first step to avoiding it

New awareness campaign by @DGTes for this #summer, with @amaiaromero ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Hieuq9Z35q

— Spanish Ministry of the Interior (@interiorgob) June 27, 2022

“Knowing it is the first step to avoiding it” is the slogan chosen to draw attention to this type of road accident. One of the reasons that led the DGT to focus the summer campaign on pedestrian knockdowns is the high number of fatalities from this type of accident. Last year, 110 people died after being knocked down, that is, 10% of the total number of deaths. Considering only the summer period, last summer 23 fatalities were recorded, 2 fewer than in summer 2020, when attention was already drawn to this issue at the start of that season, and 9 more than in summer 2019.

So that the campaign reaches as many citizens as possible, two television spots and two radio spots that can be heard on the country’s main stations have been created, along with several graphics for print media and various pieces for digital media and social networks.

A summer with more travel

Taking this trend into account, the DGT’s estimates for July and August are that 93 million long-distance trips will take place, 2.4% more than the actual movements recorded last summer, with a significant increase in weekend departures and short-duration trips. During July, 44 of the 93 million trips are expected to take place.

To cope with the expected flow of movements and ensure they are carried out smoothly and safely, the Directorate-General for Traffic has set up four special operations for this summer:

• 1st summer departure operation: from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 July.
• Departure of 1 August: from Friday 29 July to Monday 1 August.
• Special operation of 15 August: from Friday 12 to Monday 15 August.
• Return operation: from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 August.

It is important to remember that this is the first summer with the new rules in the Traffic Law:

• Mobile phone: 6 points are deducted for holding a mobile phone device in one’s hand while driving.
• Seat belt and protective equipment. 4 points are deducted for not using, or not using properly, the seat belt, child restraint systems, helmet and other mandatory protective equipment.
• Speed: the possibility for cars and motorcycles to exceed speed limits by 20 km/h on conventional roads when overtaking other vehicles has been eliminated.
• Alcohol. Drivers under the age of majority who drive any vehicle may not drive with a blood or breath alcohol level above 0.0.

The Directorate-General for Traffic has reminded that “we all feel like going out, travelling and enjoying life… we must not spoil it on the road. Taking risks is not worth it, excuses do not work, because road safety is everyone’s responsibility”.