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Diari de Catalunya

Abandoned Accident Vehicle on N-260 in Pont de Bar for a Month

A crashed car, with broken windows and no license plates, raises concerns about road safety and administrative responsibility in Alt Urgell.

Image of an abandoned vehicle on the shoulder of a national road in Alt Urgell.
IA

Image of an abandoned vehicle on the shoulder of a national road in Alt Urgell.

A Hyundai vehicle, involved in an accident on April 4, remains abandoned at kilometer point 214 of the N-260, near Pont de Bar, in Alt Urgell, raising road safety concerns.

The black car, with broken windows, is located next to a state road with high traffic density, posing a real danger to drivers. Although the Mossos d'Esquadra initially cordoned off the area with tape, the vehicle remains in the same spot a month after the incident.
The causes of the accident are unknown, and the Austrian driver disappeared from the scene. The situation has highlighted the complexity of removing abandoned vehicles, especially when the owner fails to act.
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"The problem arises when they shrug off responsibility and look the other way."

a local administration spokesperson
Several public administrations could be responsible for managing this situation. These include the Pont de Bar City Council, due to the vehicle's location within its municipal boundaries; the Ministry of Transport, as the N-260 is part of the State Road Network; the Mossos d'Esquadra, for their jurisdiction over traffic control in Catalonia; the Servei Català de Trànsit, as the Generalitat's body responsible for traffic planning and management; and the Catalan Waste Agency, for its jurisdiction over waste generated in the territory.
A vehicle is considered abandoned if it has been parked for more than a month and shows signs of deterioration or lacks license plates, as is the case with this Hyundai. Authorities must notify the owner before proceeding with its removal and destruction, giving them one month to claim it. Otherwise, the vehicle is transferred to an Authorized Treatment Center for Waste.
Irregular vehicle documentation is one of the main reasons why many crashed cars are abandoned. Many of these vehicles do not have their papers in order, either due to theft, lack of mandatory insurance, or drivers without a license. This situation complicates the actions of authorities, who cannot remove the vehicle without following specific protocols, and often the cars are registered under former owners, making identification difficult.
This issue is a recurring headache for many city councils, especially smaller ones like Pont de Bar, with only 167 inhabitants. Regulations oblige them to take charge, but the lack of resources such as tow trucks, municipal depots, or budget to cover costs and procedures can result in a vehicle remaining abandoned for months.

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