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For many years now, Spain’s traffic authorities have been doing their utmost to reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents on the country’s roads. The focus is often on cutting out distractions, cracking down on drink-driving and reducing speed on motorways. But it might surprise you to learn that Cartagena’s worst accident black spot isn’t actually a road at all.

 

That’s right: for the past 6 years, the most traffic accidents have been recorded not on a high-speed highway or dual carriage, but in the car park of the Cabezo Beaza shopping centre in Cartagena.

 

According to the Local Police, of the 134 accidents that occurred throughout 2024 on urban roads, 37 took place in that humble car park.

 

In second place, although quite a distance behind, is Plaza María Cristina with 16 accidents, the intersection of Paseo Alfonso XIII and Calle Esparta with 14, and the Severo Ochoa roundabout with 13.

 

Last year, 1,795 traffic accidents took place in the municipality of Cartagena, an increase of 65 compared to the previous year. There has also been an increase in accidents resulting in injuries, which amounted to 574 compared to 505 in 2023.

 

Interestingly, most traffic incidents resulting in injury happen on Mondays, while the highest number of accidents overall occur on Fridays, perhaps as a result of people rushing home for the weekend.

 

Thankfully, no deaths occurred as a direct result of a traffic accident in Cartagena in 2024. However, predictably enough, incidents involving electric scooters continue to increase, especially among people between the ages of 15 and 19.

 

On a positive note, and while it’s still well up there as one of the leading causes of traffic incidents, accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs have dropped slightly in the last 12 months, from 548 to 528.

 

But on the other hand, there has been an increase in drunk driving offences overall.

 

The Cartagena Local Police proposes creating new pedestrian crossings, improving signage and installing speed-reducing systems as the best way to reduce the number of pedestrian accidents in the municipality. In particular, the authorities are looking at improving the intersection of Calle Maiquez Street Calle Corredera de Los Dolores Street, which lacks a north-south pedestrian crossing.

 

In Barrio Peral, there are two problematic areas: the intersection of calles Submarino and Iribarren, and calles Santa Virginia and Submarino. Another dangerous point is the intersection of Calle Ángel Bruna and Ronda de Ferrol.

 

According to the latest data, Cieza tops the list as having some of the most dangerous stretches of road in the Region of Murcia. Two points along the N-301, both northeast of the municipality where it runs alongside the A-70 motorway, were ranked particularly lethal.

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena