Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced this morning that the government intends to drastically reduce the permitted blood alcohol level for drivers on Spanish roads.
This morning, during the Europa Forum information breakfast, the Minister expressed his concern about the data on the road accident rate in recent times. For this reason, the Interior Ministry will promote the launch of a parliamentary procedure aimed at reducing the general rate to 0.2 grams per liter of alcohol in the blood, compared to 0.5 currently.
The proposal comes from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). Last year 2023 ended with 1,145 deaths in road accidents, according to data from the department headed by Marlaska. A figure very similar to that of 2002, although it is practically identical to that of 2002, when three fewer people died; a figure that has remained stable in recent years.
Interior considers it essential to initiate parliamentary procedures to lower the blood alcohol level, knowing that “Spanish society is mature” to accept this change and further reduce road accidents. This announcement comes a few days after knowing the results of the Summer operation managed by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
Between July 1 and August 31, the record number of long-distance journeys registered on Spanish roads was recorded, more than 97.7 million (4.1 million more than in the summer of 2023, an increase of 4.4 percent).
The data
Overall, accident data has stabilized: 221 accidents have been recorded deaths in which 241 people died (three more than last summer) and 952 others were seriously injured. These are figures that worry the ministry. Hence the study of the measure of reducing the blood alcohol level authorized as a dissuasive measure.
The change will be made to Article 20 of the General Traffic Regulations. Grande-Marlaska indicated that the Interior is committed to this change in response to the request of associations affected by “road violence”. “In more than half of the accidents, alcohol or drugs appear as a determining factor,” he stressed. justifying the measure.
This is why he spoke out in favour of “addressing the debate” which includes both the reduction of alcohol levels and voluntary courses to recover points on the licence.
In recent years, about half of the drivers killed on the road tested positive for alcohol, drugs or psychotropic substances, alone or in combination. In 2022, it was 51.9%, according to the 2022 Report on Toxicological Findings in Road Accident Victims, prepared by the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences in collaboration with the National Road Safety Observatory.
That year, in 2022, road crime increased, resulting in nearly 60,000 convictions for traffic violations under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, the highest figure in the entire historical series since the reform of the Penal Code. This is the trend we are seeking to reverse.
