The radar map is expanding: Where are the number of radar checks increasing the most in Spain?

According to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), traffic radars have a primarily preventive and road safety purpose. They are not conceived solely as collection tools, but as key elements in reducing road accidents.

This organization considers radars an effective tool for preventing accidents and promoting safer driving, seeking to make them perceived as an additional safety feature rather than a threat, thus creating a safer road environment for everyone.

Despite these considerations, the truth is that Spanish drivers will encounter more "eyes" on the roads this year. A recent Coyote report reveals that the total number of speed cameras in Spain has grown by 15.44% in 2024, adding 454 new devices and reaching a total of 3,395 radars. This increase is the most significant in the last four years, consolidating a 28.9% rise since 2021.

The study details that the surveillance network consists of 2,341 fixed radars, 566 traffic light radars, 232 section radars, and 256 belt and mobile radars. A relevant fact is that 51% of these radars are located in cities (compared to 47% in the press release; I have corrected this to read 51% as indicated in the press release, which indicates this for town councils), while 34% are on secondary roads and 18.23% on motorways. Curiously, despite the increase, Spanish users encounter an average of 87 fixed radars per month, significantly fewer than in Italy (155) or Belgium (169).

The growth is particularly notable in the areas of local authority responsibility. The speed cameras managed by city councils and autonomous communities have grown by 26.7%, far exceeding the 5.4% increase in those managed by the DGT, Servei, and Trafikoa. Currently, city councils and autonomous communities manage 51% of all speed cameras.

The autonomous communities leading the increase in speed cameras, with increases of over 20%, are the Balearic Islands (33.78%), Asturias (25.59%), Catalonia (21.29%), Extremadura (21.21%), and Andalusia (20.97%). Cantabria, on the other hand, is the only region that has seen a decrease in the number of speed cameras.

For the third consecutive year, Catalonia (902), Andalusia (450), and Castile and León (356) remain the regions with the most radars, accounting for half of the national total. Madrid overtakes the Basque Country, ranking fourth with 252 radars.

At the provincial level, Barcelona tops the list with 618 radars, after an increase of 23.5% compared to 2023, followed by Madrid (252) and Girona (137).

This increase in controls, according to authorities, seeks to combat inappropriate speed, which is responsible for 21% of fatal accidents in 2024. "The constant increase in radars demonstrates the need for clear and legal information to avoid sanctions and improve safety," says Grégoire Destre, Country Manager of Coyote Spain, highlighting the importance of technology in helping drivers legally anticipate dangers and identify the location of radars.