In just four days, Trafico agents of the Civil Guard have stopped 116 drivers of vans driving with the presence of alcohol or drugs in the body, 27 of them tested for alcohol and 89 for different types of drugs.
These controls are part of the campaign to intensify the surveillance of vans that the General Directorate of Traffic carried out from October 28 to 31. In total, 65,028 vans were stopped, of which 3,687 (5.6%) of the drivers were denounced for violating traffic and road safety.
The non-use of the seat belt by the users of these vehicles continues to be observed on the road. Specifically, 282 occupants were denounced for not using this security device.
Regarding the speed limits to which these types of vehicles can travel – it must be remembered that the maximum speeds are different from those established for passenger cars – the agents have denounced 715 drivers who circulated at a speed greater than that allowed.
Another of the most controlled aspects due to the importance of the proper maintenance of vehicles to make safe trips has been referred to the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV). Specifically, 834 drivers were reported for driving without the ITV. In addition, 115 van drivers drove with the tyres in poor condition and another 171 vans were siezed for not meeting the minimum traffic conditions
The load of the vehicles has been another of the aspect needing more control, because the weight and the distribution of the load are vital in case of accident. In the four days, 407 drivers were denounced for exceeding the weight allowed in their vehicle and another 136 for carrying an incorrect arrangement of the cargo. It should be remembered that the greater the mass of the van, the greater the safe distance that must be maintained to stop the vehicle in time for any unforeseen event.
Regarding the documentation of both the vehicle and the driver, 351 complaints were made for these reasons, of which 80 were due to lack of compulsory insurance.
Conference on road risks of vans
Because the presence of vans on the roads is increasing and that the accidents in which these types of vehicles are involved in 2017 in the European Union, resulted in 3,200 deaths, the General Directorate of Traffic gathered a hundred National and international experts on Tuesday to discuss the road risk of vans and how light freight transport also impacts road safety in many towns and cities.
During the day, topics such as driver training, driving and rest times, importance of van equipment with driving assistance systems, maintenance and inspections of this type of vehicles or alcohol prevention systems at the wheel were addressed, among others.
The road risks of the vans, is an issue that not only worries the authorities in Spain, but also elsewhere in Europe, especially when electronic commerce is increasing exponentially in all countries, explained Antonio Avenoso, director of the European Security Council in the Transportation (ETSC), so that the holding of conferences like this one are necessary to advance in mitigating the accident rate in this type of vehicles.
