Higher penalties for breaking traffic rules

THE new tougher traffic regulations which mean higher fines came into force earlier this week but do not seem to have done anything to cut the accident rate in the Balearics, where there have now been eight road deaths in ten days in August. Driving without a seatbelt, speeding, using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a crash helmet by motorcyclists have all been moved up to the category of “serious” offences because of their incidence in the cause of accidents. However, the time limit in which fines can be paid at a reduced rate has been cut down, and once paid there is no possibility of appeal.
The points system of driving licences will not come into force for another year, and is expected to help cut accidents even further.
In the meantime, there was another road death in Ibiza yesterday morning, bringing the death toll on Balearic roads up to 67 (44 in Majorca, 19 in Ibiza-Formentera and four in Minorca). This is ten less than the same time last year, but the gap is narrowing rapidly.
Thirty-one of the victims were under the age of 30.