Traffic urges caution on return journey after five road deaths

The Catalan Traffic Service laments the negative toll of recent days and calls for concentration and well-maintained vehicles.

Generic image of the AP-7 highway with expected traffic.
IA

Generic image of the AP-7 highway with expected traffic.

The Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) has urged "caution" and "maximum concentration" on the road during the Second Pentecost holiday return journey, after five people lost their lives in traffic accidents over the past three days, three of them motorcyclists.

The director of the SCT, Ramon Lamiel, lamented this "negative balance" and described the situation as "very sad, tragic, and dramatic". Lamiel pointed out that motorcycles are the vehicle type of greatest concern, and called for a "prudent return" for the approximately 300,000 cars expected to return to the Barcelona conurbation this Monday.
Lamiel asked drivers to respect the safety distance and ensure their vehicles are "in perfect condition" to prevent accidents and breakdowns that could cause traffic congestion. He admitted they are "affected" by the recent accident rate, particularly concerning motorcycles, which account for twenty of the 49 fatalities on Catalan roads this year. However, the number of motorcycle deaths is one less than last year at this time.
Representing the Mossos d'Esquadra, inspector Vanessa Bohé indicated that motorcycle accidents are usually "dispersed geographically". During the Second Pentecost holiday, around 800 checks were carried out, 74 of which were specifically for motorcyclists. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 2,000 general checks have been conducted.
The return journey is expected to be concentrated on the AP-7 highway, where additional lanes have been opened. Traffic anticipates that this measure may "hinder" northbound traffic due to the mix of holiday and commuter vehicles. The sections with the highest expected mobility for this Monday include various areas of the AP-7, the C-31, C-65, C-33, C-58, N-340, and N-II.