Traffic authorities are fining more drivers than ever in Malaga province

On the roads of Malaga province more fines are being handed out than ever, with three out of four being for stepping too hard on the accelerator. This is patently clear from the annual report of the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), which closed the books on 2022 as the most productive year for the whole country in terms of driving offences since records were published for each region. During the past financial year, 326,289 tickets were issued on motorways and intercity roads across Malaga (urban roads are the responsibility of city or town councils, provided they have a Local Police force).

To put this figure in context, it represents not only a 22% increase on the 266,703 logged in 2021, but it also smashes the record of 324,428 set in 2015. To give a better idea still, among the fines handed out by officers of the Guardia Civil and those fines issued by the DGT itself (mostly by speed camera), some 893 drivers were caught out every day.

This increase is not exclusive to Malaga and the Costa del Sol, although it is one of the most significant.

Across the country (with the exception of the Basque Country and Catalonia, whose data is not provided centrally but controlled regionally), traffic violations shot up to 5.54 million, 15.6% up on the previous year. In economic terms, the effects are also evident as total state revenue from sanctions in 2022 reached 507.3 million euros compared to 444.3m in 2021.

Returning to the breakdown by key areas, Malaga province comes fourth in the rankings for most traffic fines, only surpassed by Madrid (522,117), Valencia (351,428) and Cadiz with 350,056, and just slightly ahead of Seville (320,426).

The question 'why so prominent?' among the provinces issuing the most traffic fines is easily answered by the millions of car journeys recorded across Malaga in general and especially the pull of the Costa del Sol for tourism.

More concerning is the high percentage of fines for speeding, despite the fact that speed is behind one in every four fatal accidents and regardless of heavy penalties ranging between 100 and 600 euros and up to six points off one's licence, depending on how many km/h the driver has exceeded the speed limit for that road.

Driving over the speed limit is the most common offence on intercity roads, accounting for 76% (250,178) of bookings on record. A fact that proves the incessant activity of the 54 speed cameras deployed throughout the province: 16 at fixed locations, seven that log average speed through a section of a given road and 31 mobile devices. The latter are usually sent to different locations at the discretion of the DGT and the traffic section of the Guardia Civil. With these numbers, it is hardly surprising that seven of the 50 speed cameras that log most fines in Spain are located on roads in Malaga province. Or, as the DGT would put it, these are the cameras that are most ignored.

With speeding very much in first place, second place goes to fines for driving with an expired or failed ITV road-worthiness test (200 and 500 euros, respectively), totalling 26,152 tickets for 2022.

This is followed by 7,471 for uninsured drivers (1,500 euros if stopped while driving); 7,382 for not having a vehicle registration document or driving licence (500 euros); and 5,323 for using a mobile phone while driving (six points and 200 euros). Turning to vehicle safety, 4,025 people were fined for travelling with no seat belt on (200 euros), as well as another 339 for improper restraints or seating for children or babies.

Besides the aforementioned offences, some 3,688 drivers were also booked after blowing positive on a breathalyser (500 or 1000 euros, depending on how much over the limit); 717 for driving under the influence of some narcotic (1,000 euros); and then another 45 for refusing to submit to roadside tests for alcohol or drug detection (1,000 euros).

Statistically, alcohol and drugs are behind almost half of all accidents involving fatalities.

Yet there are more actions that also count as reckless, such as the 402 daredevil drivers (also known as 'kamikazes') caught for driving in the opposite direction to oncoming traffic. In principle this can be punished with a fine of up to 500 euros, with up to two years in prison if negligent or reckless behaviour is proven. Negligent driving also gave rise to another 626 tickets, while tailgating was the reason for another 493 fines (200 euros and four points).