Catalan speed cameras fine more than 2,600 drivers every day.

BarcelonaThere are 131 fixed, posted speed cameras on the Catalan road network, in addition to other devices, ranging from Mossos d'Esquadra patrols to mobile radars, including road radars and even helicopters. And with these devices, a significant number of drivers in Catalonia are caught committing a speeding violation every day. Counting drivers who are going too fast—the vast majority of those fined—and those who are going too slowly, up to 2,600 drivers are fined every day, according to data from the Catalan Traffic Service for 2024 and 2025, to which ARA has had access.

Specifically, in 2024, up to 935,390 speeding procedures were initiated—which does not mean that they were actually collected, since appeals can be filed in the process. We're talking 2,563 fines per day, almost 80,000 per month. And the rate for 2025 is even higher. According to data collected up to September 19 of this year, 740,920 procedures have already been initiated, an average of 2,839 fines per day.

In this detection, radars play a key role, and now a study has shown that their installation has significantly reduced the number of traffic accidents. Specifically, fixed radars reduced accidents with injuries by 31% and accidents with serious injuries or fatalities by 20% between 2002 and 2023, according to a study commissioned by Tráfico. Thus, in total, some 1,610 accidents with serious injuries would have been avoided, of which 372 resulted in very serious or fatal victims.

Male and young drivers

This Monday, the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, and the Director of Traffic, Ramon Lamiel, presented the study, carried out by Ivalua, the Catalan Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies, with data from the posted radars. The analysis found that the reduction in accidents is more significant when the driver is between 25 and 44 years old or is a man; when the driver has committed human error; when the accident occurred during the day and on a weekday; and when cars or motorcycles were involved.

It was also found that there is no increase in accidents either before or after the control point where the radar is located, between 500 and 2,000 meters away, due to sudden braking before the device or abrupt acceleration immediately afterward, which is known as the "effect." kangaroo.

The regional minister emphasized that fixed radars are "a good tool and a good measure for road safety" and that, looking to the future, it is necessary to address the possibility of expanding them to reduce accidents. Ivalua analyst Arnau Juanmartí explained that the analysis also took into account the improvements made to roads with radars and all causes of accidents, not just speed. It was found that radars also help reduce accidents caused by distractions, as drivers are more active. Regarding the more intense effect on young drivers, he explained that this is because they tend to have the most risky driving habits.

Therefore, the study recommends installing new fixed and marked radars at high-accident hotspots, evaluating the comparative effectiveness of spot and section radars to determine which work best under the circumstances, and improving the mobile radar information system to analyze their impact. Between 2002 and 2023, Catalonia recorded an annual average of 7,336 traffic accidents with injuries, 1,177 of which resulted in serious injuries or fatalities.