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3w ago

Spain Intensifies Roadside Crackdown on Alcohol and Drug-Impaired Driving

Embedding agents in messaging groups to rotate 15-minute checkpoints addresses rising alcohol positives alongside record drug detections on Spain’s roads.

Control anterior hecho por la Policía Local.
Un agente para a los coches para someter a pruebas de control de consumo de drogas y alcohol

Overview

  • Between July 14 and 20, the DGT’s Andalusia campaign tested 38,900 drivers and detected 799 cases of alcohol or drug impairment, averaging 114 positives per day.
  • Alcohol positives accounted for 1.2% of 38,007 breathalyzer tests, while drug screenings returned a 37.6% positivity rate among 893 drivers.
  • Cannabis was identified in 56% of positive drug tests, followed by cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines and opioids.
  • Galicia’s 2024 autopsies showed toxicology positives in 43% of traffic fatalities, with 26% of victims exceeding the penal alcohol threshold.
  • To counter WhatsApp alert evasion, the Guardia Civil now deploys dynamic 15-minute checkpoints and embeds undercover agents in messaging groups while the government plans to criminalize social media alerts of police operations and lower the permissible blood alcohol concentration.