The latest targeted checks by the Dirección General de Tráfico on driver distraction in Castile and León resulted in 680 citations. Between 5 and 11 October, units of the Agrupación de Tráfico of the Guardia Civil checked 27,056 vehicles in the region. A total of 229 citations – around 34 per cent – were for prohibited mobile phone use while driving. The figures come from the regional analysis of the campaign week.
According to these figures, mobile phone use at the wheel was the most common single reason for citations. Other distractions included using headphones or handling the seat belt while driving. The Dirección General de Tráfico also published its nationwide figures for the operation: 422,927 vehicles were checked across Spain during the same week and 9,245 distracted-driving offences were recorded, of which 3,816 (42.3 per cent) involved prohibited mobile phone use. The regional findings in Castile and León are therefore in line with the national trend, though at a lower absolute level.
The Guardia Civil reports that checks also identified behaviours that increase the risk of an accident but do not always result in a citation: reading while driving, searching for items in the vehicle or distracting interactions with passengers. Other traffic offences were also noted during some stops, including drink- or drug-driving.
Under Spanish law, anyone holding a phone risks not only a fine but also the loss of six points under Spain’s driving licence system. In its statement, the Dirección General de Tráfico points out that even a fraction of a second of inattention can increase reaction time and significantly extend stopping distance.
The campaign results should be seen as a snapshot. Stationary and mobile checks, as well as technical tools, were used during the campaign week. Assessing longer-term trends requires comparison with annual statistics and other targeted-check weeks. The Dirección General de Tráfico’s national figures provide the benchmark against which regional analyses – such as the one for Castile and León – can be measured. According to the authorities, prevention is the priority: the Guardia Civil’s visible presence is intended to deter, while repeated weeks of targeted checks are meant to bring lasting changes in behaviour.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).