The Most Common Causes of Road Traffic Collisions and How to Avoid Them

The DGT has compiled a list of the most dangerous actions that result in collisions or incidents on the roads of Spain and hopes that by being aware of the most common faults, we can all pay closer attention and subsequently avoid them.

“70% of deaths in incidents on interurban roads occur on conventional roads, most of them due to avoidable violations,” according to the DGT.

One of the most frequent actions that end in an incident is not respecting priority signs. AN example if failing to give way when entering the crossroad, causing a collision. It is one of the most frequent infractions.

On conventional roads, this action often leads to collisions with serious injuries, sometimes resulting in fatalities. The worst part is borne by the person on the side of the impact, as they are the ones who receive the direct impact and with less protection.

And one of the most dangerous is not respecting the STOP sign. “The STOP symbol marked on the road indicates to the driver the obligation to stop the vehicle at the next stop line and to give way to vehicles circulating on that road.” Not respecting this sign can lead to serious consequences.

It is important to remember that at a STOP sign, as the name suggests, you must stop, not simply slow down and then continue.

Another of the most dangerous actions is exceeding the legal speed limit. Speeding is one of the most common offences and is the cause of serious incidents. It is usually the cause when only one vehicle is involved in the incident.

According to the DGT itself, “driving over the speed limits on the road continues to be one of the most infringed precepts of traffic and road safety regulations.” Last year, according to the DGT, 211 fatal incidents were recorded in which speed was the contributing factor.

“On conventional roads, which pose the greatest risks, compliance with the established speed limit is 43%, a low level, similar to that recorded in Belgium (46%),” said the DGT regarding speed.

According to the Traffic Department, “driving at an appropriate speed could prevent a quarter of deaths in road incidents.” Furthermore, “at speeds of 80 km/h or more, it is practically impossible for a pedestrian to survive a collision, while at a speed of 30 km/h, the risk of death for pedestrians is reduced to 5%”.

The other actions that the DGT classifies as dangerous and that should be avoided are illegal overtaking, invading the opposite lane and not respecting the safety distance. All of these actions can lead to a collision.

If we respect the safety rules and remember this, we can avoid many incidents. On the road, you should not take risks, and each of the actions we are warned about are synonymous with danger and risk.

Take note, because you and your actions can either result in, or can avoid a fatal outcome.