A worrying outlook for road safety in Catalonia
The latest report from RACC has revealed unsettling figures regarding safety on the roads of Catalonia, highlighting that the stretch of the T-314 between Cambrils and Reus is the most dangerous for the second consecutive year. This study, covering the three-year period from 2022 to 2024, shows an increase of 11.5% in serious and fatal accidents, highlighting an alarming trend in mobility and accident rates.
During this period, 97 accidents with fatalities or serious injuries have been recorded. Of these, 25 were fatal, resulting in 30 deaths. Overall mobility has increased by 5.6%, but this rise has not been accompanied by a proportional decrease in accidents. Cristian Bardají, director of the Mobility Area at RACC, described this situation as a “small piece of bad news,” emphasising that it would be preferable to see an increase in mobility without a negative correlation in accident rates.
The report also highlights that the risk of suffering a fatal or serious accident is four times greater on conventional roads compared to dual carriageways. In total, 21% of the analysed kilometres present a high or very high risk of accidents. This percentage represents an increase of 10% compared to the previous three-year period.
At the regional level, Baix Camp, Tarragonès, and Baix Penedès account for 80% of the most dangerous stretches. Conventional roads are the most affected; nine of the ten stretches with the highest risk are single carriageway roads. In contrast, some regions such as Conca de Barberà and Montsià do not have stretches with high risk.
Bardají also mentioned that one of the goals is to halve the number of fatalities by 2030 compared to the figures recorded in 2019. However, with the current increase in risk and serious accidents, achieving this goal seems increasingly complicated.
Given this critical situation, both political leaders and citizens must become aware of the importance of improving road infrastructure and promoting safe driving practices. Collaboration between institutions will be key to reversing this negative trend before it is too late.
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