The DGT will step up road surveillance in 2021: more speed cameras, drones and officers

Spanish roads record a high number of accidents, many of them with fatal consequences for those involved. The Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) works to reduce the accident rate. To do so, it runs many awareness campaigns, aimed at improving safety while driving. But this is often not enough, so they have to act with other means.

These means consist of the members of the Guardia Civil Traffic Group, the speed cameras and other resources such as drones, which have recently joined these checks, Pegasus helicopters and the much-feared penalties. Traffic control resources are updated every year, and 2021 is no exception. These are the changes that await Spanish roads this year.

More resources to monitor the roads

Pere Navarro, Director-General of the DGT, already announced it last October: Spanish roads will have more speed cameras and a larger number of officers in 2021 responsible for ensuring compliance with traffic regulations. Currently, there are around 1,400 speed cameras. Of these, there are 764 fixed cameras, 548 mobile cameras and 80 section speed cameras.

Over the course of 2021, 45 more section speed cameras will be installed. These cameras do not have a fixed date for going into operation, as they will be installed gradually over the months. Nor has a list been published of the location of these future cameras, so we cannot anticipate their positions. In addition, 30 new mobile speed cameras will also enter service during the year.

New Guardia Civil officers will also join this figure. There will be 108 new officers patrolling Spanish roads, who will be in charge of ensuring that speed limits are not exceeded and that other offences are not committed. But one of the things that attracts the most attention is the addition of 28 new surveillance drones.

Fines in Spain

Fines in Spain amount to around 1 million euros a day since records have been kept, an initiative that began in 2008. In 2019, which is the last year for which records exist, the state collected 374.3 million euros. This figure is striking, especially considering that Spain is not the country with the most speed cameras on its roads.

For example, France has 4,000 speed cameras and the United Kingdom 8,000, which places Spain well below these countries in terms of this type of device. With the introduction of these new cameras, the aim is to improve road safety and to detect and penalise those who exceed speed limits or engage in activities incompatible with driving, such as using a mobile phone.