The summer period leaves a slight increase in deaths caused by road accidents compared to last year. While in July and August 2023, the months taken into account, 234 people died, at the same time in 2022 there were 227. An increase of 3%.
These deaths have occurred in 223 fatal accidents. A very low figure if we take into account that just over 93 million trips have been made during the summer, as reflected in the Summer 2023 Road Accident Balance. In this time frame, and by a slight difference, August has been the month where the most displacements have occurred (47.9 million). In July there were 45.8 million.
Regarding the characteristics of accidents, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has indicated an increase in deaths on highways and highways compared to last year. If in July and August 2022 there were 50 people who died, in 2023 there were 67. The remainder occurred on interurban roads, where they have been reduced (167 in the summer of 2023 by 177 in 2022).
In a presentation in which the acting Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, participated, the report indicated that tourism has been the medium in which the most people have died (112). This has also meant an increase of nine individuals compared to 2022. For its part, motorcycle accidents have been reduced, as they have gone from 60 to 57. In this sense, the profile of the deceased motorcyclist continues to be a male with experience in driving between 35 and 64 years old who has an accident on a weekend.
Regarding the profile of the fatalities, the majority are men, who represent 75% (176), with 25% women (58). Regarding them, an increase of 25% has been generated if we look at the figures from the previous summer, where there were 43 deaths on the road. Within the sociological aspect, the age group that registers the highest number of deaths is 45 to 54 years old, with 51 cases. On the contrary, it is in the 35 to 44 age group where it decreases the most: 16 less.
Regarding geographical distribution, Andalusia is where the most deaths have been recorded (38), despite the fact that fatalities in this community have decreased by five compared to last summer. On the contrary, neither in Ceuta nor in Melilla have any fatalities been recorded on the roads. It should be noted in this section that the greatest increase has occurred in Extremadura. It is here that the number of deaths went from two people in 2022 to 13 in 2023.
These summer data complete the registry that the DGT is carrying out in 2023. The temporary figures that the organization offers are 739 deceased people, 12 less than last year at the end of August. As he points out, said month has been one of the worst, along with March and April, when compared to 2022.
