The combined consumption of alcohol and drugs while driving remains a serious problem in the province of Málaga. During the first half of the year, 504 accidents with victims were recorded on Málaga's road network. Of these, 41 incidents (8.13%) involved the presence of both toxic substances. These accidents resulted in a total of 72 victims, including fatalities and injuries, with average ages ranging between 31 and 46 years.
In response, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has announced a special surveillance campaign to be conducted from this Monday, July 13, to next Sunday, July 19. The aim is to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of these substances and to prevent accidents during a period of high summer mobility.
Controls will be carried out in collaboration with the Traffic Division of the Civil Guard and the Local Police of the province's municipalities, with checkpoints adapted for interurban and urban roads. In the aforementioned 41 accidents, there were three fatalities, nine hospitalized injuries, and 60 non-hospitalized injuries. The average ages of the deceased was 46; of the hospitalized, 31; and of the non-hospitalized, 39.
An additional concerning fact is the non-compliance with seatbelt usage. Among the victims of these accidents, two fatalities, one hospitalized person, and two non-hospitalized injured individuals were not using this mandatory safety device.
In a similar campaign conducted last year in the province of Málaga, 7,303 vehicles were checked. 5,421 alcohol tests and 164 drug tests were performed on interurban roads, resulting in 88 positive alcohol tests (1.62%) and 76 positive drug tests (46.34%). In urban areas, 1,690 alcohol tests and 28 drug tests were conducted, with 71 fines for alcohol (4.20%) and 7 for drugs (25.00%).
Nationally, the DGT indicates that alcohol is the second most common concurrent factor in traffic accidents, present in 28% of fatal accidents in 2024. The institution highlights a 9% increase in fatalities with positive alcohol tests compared to the previous year, and a 24% increase compared to 2019. The majority of positive cases (88.8%) are detected in preventive checks, underscoring their effectiveness.
