Spain's road network logs 56 fewer fatalities in first quarter of 2026, a record low

Zoom

During the first three months of this year, there were 186 fatal road traffic accidents resulting in 196 deaths, according to figures from Spain's traffic authority

EP

Friday, 3 April 2026, 10:18

The number of road traffic fatalities in the first quarter of this year fell by 56 (down 22 per cent) compared to the same period last year, according to data from Spain's directorate-general of traffic (DGT). During the first three months of the year, there were 186 fatal accidents resulting in 196 deaths.

These figures place the period from January to March 2026 as the quarter with the fewest road deaths in recorded history, with the exception of 2021, which was low because of Covid restrictions on traffic movements. These positive figures also occurred in a context of 4.12 per cent more long-distance journeys being made this quarter compared to the previous year.

According to the DGT, road safety experts crunch these numbers within a range of plus or minus five per cent. Therefore, this first quarter of 2026 with 22 per cent fewer deaths "is something unusual and unprecedented, especially when road journeys have been greater in volume".

For this reason, the head of the DGT, Pere Navarro, was keen to "congratulate the drivers, the true architects of this decrease, for the advances in road safety". He also called for caution over Easter: "during these days of so many journeys by road, prudence and caution are the best travel buddies to reach our destinations and return home safely".

Conventional roads continue to account for the highest number of fatal road traffic accidents: 78.6 per cent of the total. The DGT also highlighted the significant drop in passenger car fatalities, down 31 per cent (90 compared to 131 deaths in the same quarter for last year). Vulnerable road users account for 45 per cent of road deaths, with the number of cyclists killed falling, but the number of motorcyclist and pedestrian deaths increasing.

As for type of accident, there was a significant decrease in the number of run-off-the-road crashes, with 33 per cent fewer fatalities. The only type of accident that has increased is collisions with pedestrians, with 31 fatalities compared to 26 in the same period last year.

Regarding the use of safety systems, 26 of those killed were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident, 23 of them were travelling in passenger cars, one in a van and two in a lorry. One cyclist and one motorcyclist were also not wearing helmets.

By region, the accident rate in the first quarter shows an uneven pattern. The number of fatalities increased in four regions of Spain (Castilla y León, Castilla la Mancha, Extremadura and Galicia) and decreased in the rest.

Monthly figures for March

As for March, both accident and travel figures are "also unusual". During this month, 68 fatal road traffic accidents were recorded, resulting in 71 deaths. That is 31 fewer deaths than in the same month in 2025. This represents a 30 per cent drop in fatalities, yet traffic volume increased by 10.85 per cent compared to March last year, with 38.8 million long-distance journeys recorded. The fall in the number of deaths was greater on conventional roads than on high-capacity roads.

By mode of transport, the number of pedestrian fatalities has increased, with 13 this March, seven more than in the same month last year. Ditto for motorcyclists, 17 fatalities this March, compared to 14 last year. The most significant decrease in fatalities this month was in passenger cars, with 34 deaths recorded, 25 less than in the same month last year. Fatalities decreased in all types of accidents, except for pedestrian collisions, which increased. As for the use of safety systems, seven of those killed were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and all were travelling in passenger cars.

Back to the breakdown by region, Catalonia registered the largest decrease compared to March 2025, while Andalucía and Castilla y León recorded the highest number of fatalities on their roads.