Traffic cops in Spain in midst of summer campaign to carry out more than 30,000 alcohol and drug tests every day
The aim is clear: prevent road accidents caused by substance abuse - one of the main causes of death on Spanish roads
Patxi Fernández
Madrid
Thursday, 17 July 2025, 15:47
Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) has launched a special campaign to monitor and control driving under the effects of alcohol and drugs. The campaign runs from 14 to 20 July.
The DGT will carry out more than 30,000 daily tests on drivers on both interurban and urban roads. The aim is clear: prevent road accidents caused by substance abuse - one of the main causes of death on Spanish roads.
According to 2023 data, some 246 people lost their lives in traffic accidents in that year. Alcohol was involved in 26% of all fatal accidents and also in 13% of all registered accidents. It ranks second among road accident causes in Spain, only behind distractions at the wheel and speeding.
Even in small quantities, alcohol consumption directly affects essential functions. It acts as a central nervous system depressant, altering perception, reaction time, coordination and judgement. This results in slower reactions to unexpected events, underestimation of one's own and others' speed and difficulties in assessing distances, even when the driver believes they are in control.
Alcohol consumption not only increases the number of accidents but their severity as well. Studies show that injuries resulting from alcohol-induced collisions tend to be more severe, because drink-driving is often associated with high-risk behaviour such as speeding or reckless manoeuvres. The only safe level of alcohol at the wheel is 0.0%.
Fines and criminal liability
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has serious consequences. The most minor of these is the administrative fee, but an offender could be imprisoned, depending on the case. In 2024, more than 50,000 drivers were convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The most serious consequence is death, whether that of the reckless driver or another person.
The effects of alcohol
INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts lives at risk. Every time a person gets behind the wheel after having consumed alcohol or drugs, they are making a decision that not only compromises their own safety but also that of other drivers, passengers, pedestrians or cyclists.
What is sometimes perceived as a "personal decision" can end up having a devastating impact on entire families.
If someone around you has been using, stop them from getting in the car. Responsibility for road safety is not limited to the driver alone. As family members, friends or partners, we also have the capacity - and the moral obligation - to intervene. It is not enough to warn or advise; we must act firmly and prevent them from getting behind the wheel.
Never ride as a passenger with a person who has been drinking or using drugs. Agreeing to ride in a vehicle driven by someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs means exposing yourself directly to danger.
As passengers, we must also take an active role in prevention. Getting into that car means putting one's own life at risk and, in many cases, normalising behaviour that should have no place in a responsible society.
The only safe limit is 0.0%. Spain is currently considering reducing the maximum alcohol limit allowed for driving to 0.1. If you decide not to drink a single drop of alcohol before driving, you will be helping to prevent accidents and save lives.
As part of this campaign, the national federation of spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities (ASPAYM) is once again collaborating with the DGT to raise awareness among drivers of the serious risk of driving under the influence of substances. Within this framework, volunteers with spinal cord injury and victims of traffic accidents will accompany the police at alcohol and drug controls in provinces such as Asturias, Cadiz, Madrid, Murcia and Seville.
At the time of the roadside check, ASPAYM volunteers will approach the vehicles to share the campaign's message and, through their presence, raise awareness of the irreversible consequences and lasting effects that can result from traffic accidents. This initiative, which received a Luis Antona honourable mention in 2024, seeks to generate a direct and reflective impact on drivers.
