Road safety: current situation, challenges and solutions

Road safety refers to the set of actions, regulations, infrastructures, and technologies aimed at preventing traffic accidents, reducing their consequences, and ensuring safe mobility for all road users. This includes drivers and passengers as well as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, both in urban and interurban environments.

In Spain, the main goal of road safety is to progressively reduce road accidents. The strategy is based on a comprehensive vision that ranges from education and legislation to infrastructure engineering and law enforcement. This vision is aligned with the European “Vision Zero” objective, which seeks to eliminate deaths and serious injuries caused by traffic accidents.

The main stakeholders involved in improving road safety in our country include the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), the competent ministries and regional authorities, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, highway concession companies, and private companies responsible for the maintenance, signage, and conservation of road infrastructure.

During the period between January 1 and August 17, 2025, a total of 632 fatal road accidents were recorded on interurban roads in Spain, with 696 fatalities, according to provisional data published by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT). These figures represent a slight 4% reduction compared to the same period the previous year (723 fatalities in 656 fatal accidents), reflecting a slight improvement, although still far from acceptable levels.

The most frequent causes behind these accidents continue to be, consistently:

To these causes we must add the aging of the Spanish vehicle fleet and the differences in the level of infrastructure maintenance depending on the autonomous community.

Road infrastructure plays a decisive role in accident prevention and in protecting road users. Well-designed roads, proper signage, and effective containment systems not only reduce the number of accidents but also mitigate their severity when they occur.

Some of the key infrastructure elements that directly impact road safety are:

Therefore, continuous investment in infrastructure improvement should not be seen as an expense, but as an essential preventive measure.

Road safety is not built solely on good intentions, awareness campaigns, or improvements in driver training. It requires a solid physical foundation: adapted, well-maintained, and properly equipped infrastructures with efficient technology. In this sense, those responsible for road management and maintenance play a key role in accident prevention and the protection of human life.

In recent years, empirical evidence has shown that a road network with proper signage, good lighting, and high-quality materials significantly reduces the likelihood of serious accidents, especially in high-risk areas such as interurban stretches, access roads to urban centers, or construction zones. Every technical decision —from choosing a durable beaconing system to ensuring nighttime visibility through retroreflective signage— has a direct impact on accident statistics.

Furthermore, in a context where annual reports show an increase in fatalities on interurban roads and a rise in pedestrian accidents in areas with limited visibility, the implementation of physical safety solutions is no longer optional: it becomes a critical tool for structural prevention.

Investment in road infrastructure is not an expense but a collective protection strategy. Within this framework, collaboration with specialized suppliers and strict compliance with technical regulations play an essential role in ensuring that on-site decisions translate into safer kilometers.

At a time when road safety faces new challenges, having suppliers that offer certified products, technical support, and solutions adapted to each environment is key to moving toward safer and more efficient roads. From retroreflective sheets to road studs, impact attenuators, or asphalt repair systems, T2S Ibérica works alongside public managers, maintenance companies, and contractors to provide approved equipment that meets the highest European standards.

Our experience allows us to advise on the selection of the right product for each situation, directly contributing to reducing accidents on our roads. If you are part of an administration or company responsible for road infrastructure maintenance, we invite you to get in touch with our technical-commercial team to explore the most effective solutions for your projects.