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Date Published: 15/11/2021
ARCHIVED - Huge number of Spaniards admit to drinking and driving
Almost half of drivers killed on roads in Spain last year were under the influence
Boozed-up tourists in Spain have a pretty bad reputation and frequently make the news, but Spaniards themselves are currently creating waves as a new survey published by Acierto.com has revealed that many drivers don’t think twice about getting behind the wheel after a few drinks.
In fact, the study has highlighted that 45% of Spaniards admit to having driven after consuming alcohol, 14% of them regularly drink and drive while the same number have done so on at least one occasion, all the while knowing they were over the limit and posing a threat to themselves, other road users and pedestrians.
Almost nine out of ten drivers surveyed said they were aware of the legal alcohol limit, whereas 60% say they completely abstain for fear of a hefty fine.
The data is worrying given that 48.7% of drivers killed on Spanish roads in 2020 had consumed alcohol or drugs, a figure which rose by 3.2% compared to the previous year. The vast majority of victims were men (95%) and 68.5% were aged between 25 and 54.
Having studied these alarming figures, Acierto were quick to remind policy holders that in general, drivers involved in an accident or caught under the influence are not covered by insurance. On top of the fine issued by traffic officers, compensation claims can often cost millions of euros.
It is not only drunk drivers that need to be concerned: incidents involving intoxicated pedestrians are also on the rise in Spain.
“This situation can have terrible consequences”, according to Acierot, “especially if it is shown that we have caused an accident while drunk, for example, because we have crossed [the road] improperly and we have generated an accident with fatalities”.
Of course, walking while drunk can also be a recipe for disaster, and research shows that 46% of pedestrians who died as a result of road traffic accidents in Spain had alcohol in their system.
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