Overview

• A parked car in the Gràcia district rolled forward at 14:00 on July 5 when its handbrake unexpectedly released, fatally striking an 80-year-old woman.
• Officers from the Guardia Urbana’s Central Traffic Accidents Unit and Gràcia district investigators are compiling a formal report to determine the cause of the brake malfunction.
• Ambulances from the Medical Emergency Service (SEM) and a team from the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgency Center (CUESB) responded but the victim could not be saved.
• This incident marks Barcelona’s sixth traffic-related death in 2025, reflecting a broader surge in urban and rural road fatalities across Spain.
• Safety advocates and officials are renewing calls for stricter vehicle maintenance inspections and enhanced protocols for brake system safety.