Mobile phone use now accounts for 87% of fines for distracted driving in Catalonia.

Mobile phone use while driving is one of the major areas for improvement on the Catalan road network. According to data from the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT), 22% of fatal road accidents were related to improper mobile phone use, consolidating mobile phone use as the second most common factor in accidents, surpassed only by traffic violations.

During 2024, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) opened a total of 25,967 cases for distracted driving, 87% of which (22,693) were directly related to mobile phone use while driving. Despite the efforts of the Catalan Traffic Service, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Traffic Service), and local police forces in several municipalities, the number of sanctions related to mobile phone use has not shown any significant progress. In 2023, more than 20,000 cases were opened for distracted driving, of which 82% were related to mobile phones, 23,000 cases, and mobile phones were the cause in 89% of cases.

Current regulations impose fines of 200 euros and the loss of between 3 and 6 points on the license for simply holding or carrying a phone, even if you are not looking at it or using it at the time.

According to figures from the General Directorate of Traffic, answering a WhatsApp At 120 km/h (an action that is unfortunately much more common than it might seem) is equivalent to traveling for up to 20 seconds – about 600 meters – without paying the necessary attention to what is happening on the asphalt.