Spain intensifies road checks for alcohol and drug‑impaired drivers

The Guardia Civil traffic unit has increased its road‑side drug and alcohol testing, conducting 144,346 checks in 2025 – the highest since 2021 – and sanctioning 70,717 drivers with point losses and fines. New regulations enforce a zero‑tolerance blood‑alcohol limit for drivers under 18, with penalties of up to €1,000 and a four‑point licence reduction.

A week‑long special operation will take place from 13 to 19 July on Galicia’s highways, where 928 drivers tested positive for alcohol or drugs. The campaign targets both major motorways and secondary roads, with random checks round the clock. In the province of A Coruña, more than half of the tests (205 of 400) were positive, while Pontevedra recorded a 66 % positivity rate. The DGT’s national data show 211,000 tests with 4,234 positives (2 % rate), whereas Galicia’s positivity approaches 3 %.

Volunteers from the National Federation of Spinal‑Injured Victims will join the checks to highlight the severe consequences of impaired driving. The overall effort aims to curb the alcohol‑ and drug‑related share of road fatalities, which currently accounts for about one‑third of deadly crashes in Galicia.