Spain's DGT to consider banning use of hazard warning triangles in some situations after rise in road deaths

Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) roads authority could ban hazard triangles following a concerning rise in the number of deaths of people placing them on busy roads.

A total of 79 people died on Spanish roads in March in 70 fatal accidents, eight more than the same month last year, according to new traffic data.

There was an uptick in accidents involving people walking on the carriageway with seven last month.

The DGT is now looking into whether it should prohibit drivers to exit their vehicles to place reflective triangles on motorways or dual carriageways to signal danger in the event of a breakdown due to the risk of being run over.

Director General for Traffic Pere Navarro said they were currently examining "to see how legally we can stop the triangle from being compulsory on motorways and dual carriageways".

Regarding the national statistics involving motor vehicles durin the month of March, twelve of those killed were not using a seat belt at the time of the accident, the data showed: eight car drivers, two van drivers and two lorry truck drivers.

By autonomous region, Catalonia was the region with the greatest increase in accident rate, with seven more fatalities than in March 2022, while Murcia was the region with the greatest decrease, six fewer fatalities.