Balearic Islands: Over 200 drivers caught on phones

More than 200 drivers in the Balearic Islands get caught using phones at the wheel during checks from 5 to 11 October. The Guardia Civil says they were making calls or using social media and messaging apps while driving.

Officers record 573 distractions in 186 checks across the islands. The checks are part of a campaign run by Spain’s traffic authority, the Dirección General de Tráfico. Phone use is the most frequent distraction, but officers also spot drivers searching for things inside their cars, eating, adjusting vehicle controls and putting on seatbelts while moving. Others pay too much attention to their passengers.

A glance away from the road can leave too little time to react, the Guardia Civil warns. Distraction can lengthen reaction times and braking distances, cause drivers to veer off course or make them miss what is happening around them. The force says distraction played a part in 32 per cent of fatal road accidents last year and urges drivers to keep their attention on the road.

More on this topic: Traffic on Mallorca

Topics: Traffic

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com