Reduction in number of Christmas accidents

PALMA
THERE were a total of 210 traffic accidents in the period December 12 to 24, a drop of 10.9 percent in comparison with the same period in 2005 when there were 233, according to the spokesman for the Local Police Force, Juan Luis Sanchez. None of the accidents was fatal, he added.

At a press conference, Sanchez explained that, in addition to the 210 recorded accidents, there were another 36 where the driver fled from the scene, which is also a decrease on the number of incidents of this type recorded during the same period in 2005, when there were 46 such incidents. According to the figures given by the Police spokesperson, during this period a total of 59 people were slightly hurt, seven had more serious injuries and six very serious injuries but there were no deaths.

These figures are all below those recorded during the same period in 2005, during which there was one death.
With regard to the drink driving campaign, a total of 188 people were tested.
The amount of arrests made for driving under the influence of alcohol totalled 25.
This was the first Christmas and New Year since the new driving licence points system was introduced at the start of last summer and traffic authorities maintain that the points system is having a positive effect across the country.

A total of 114 people lost their lives on the roads over the Christmas period in Spain, an average of seven per day according to the special traffic operation, the lowest figure for seven years.

Sanchez explained that last weekend there had been 10 arrests, of which seven were for being over the drink drive limit, two for minor offences and one for domestic violence.

The Police spokesperson added that during this time (Christmas and New Year), the level of crime “usually increases”.
Although he did not give any firm figures about the number of crimes committed during this time, he confirmed that the large gatherings of people for Christmas and New Year celebrations, “favour the activities of people who dedicate their time to robbing others”.