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Spain’s Road Deaths Fall 22% to Near-Record Low in Q1 2026

More long‑distance travel coincided with a shift toward higher risk for pedestrians and motorcyclists.

Overview

  • DGT data show 186 fatal crashes causing 196 deaths in the first quarter, a 22% year‑on‑year drop and the lowest Q1 on record outside 2021.
  • Long‑distance trips grew by 4.12% in the quarter and 10.85% in March, yet March deaths fell to 71, down 30% from a year earlier.
  • Conventional two‑lane roads accounted for 78.6% of fatal crashes, and run‑off‑the‑road deaths declined by 33%.
  • Car‑occupant deaths fell 31% to 90, yet fatalities rose for pedestrians and motorcyclists, and 26 victims were not wearing seatbelts.
  • By region, fatalities increased in Castilla y León, Castilla‑La Mancha, Extremadura and Galicia, even as most regions recorded declines.