Portugal road safety campaign 'Duas Rodas' records 15 deaths in week-long operation

The "Duas Rodas – Agarre-se à Vida" road‑safety campaign, part of Portugal's National Road Inspection Plan 2026 and Vision Zero 2030 strategy, concluded after a week of targeted enforcement and public awareness actions aimed at motor‑bike and scooter riders. During the seven‑day period (7‑13 July) authorities recorded 2,771 road crashes involving two‑wheel vehicles, resulting in 15 fatalities, 60 serious injuries and 909 minor injuries. Compared with the same period in 2025, deaths rose by 25% while serious and slight injuries fell slightly.

The joint effort of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), National Republican Guard (GNR) and Public Security Police (PSP) inspected 550,213 vehicles and drivers, detecting 12,429 traffic violations. The most common infractions were excessive speed, failure to wear a certified helmet, unsafe overtaking, documentation irregularities, alcohol use and mobile‑phone distraction. Officials emphasized that proper helmet use and defensive driving can markedly reduce the severity of injuries.

Overall, between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025 Portugal logged 34,179 accidents involving motorcycles and scooters, with 440 deaths, 3,041 serious injuries and 34,501 minor injuries. The campaign underscored the continued risk to two‑wheel road users and called for sustained safe‑driving practices across all road users.