La Spanish road network It is one of the most affected by the cuts made by the General State Administration. The lack of investment in its improvement and conservation It has caused them to go from being in a good state of conservation to a poor one. To this we must add that many routes are not adapted to the volume of traffic that circulates through them, causing them to become quite dangerous black spots.
According to one of the latest studies carried out by the DGT and several associations of victims of traffic accidents, one of the most dangerous black spots in Spain is located on the N-435. This road is located in the province of Badajoz in Extremadura and connects the municipalities of Almendral and Barcarrota in Badajoz. In fact, in its section, of just over 12,5 kilometres, several people have died or been injured over the years.
The study of roads, to assess their situation, is carried out as follows...
When conducting these studies, the elements that are taken into account to determine the real state of a road They are as follows.
- General condition of the pavement. Although it may not seem visible, the circulation wears out the asphalt due to the traffic that receives the road. To keep it in good condition, you have to study the layout and resurface from time to time. A pavement that presents cracks, potholes and considerable holes can cause accidents.
- vertical signage. The signs are responsible for enforcing the rules on the roads. If their visibility is low, they are covered by weeds or they are broken, they can cause accidents. On many occasions and roads, the signs are so old that they cannot be seen in low visibility conditions or at night, causing the danger to multiply exponentially.
- horizontal signage. Its conservation depends on how the pavement of the road is maintained, since they are painted on it. In many sections its lines are worn by time, the sun and the cars. On other occasions they are painted with slippery paint, which can cause skidding accidents to cars, motorists or cyclists.
- guardrail. These help us not to get off the road in case of an accident. Over time it has been shown that, depending on the circumstances (cyclists and motorists), they can be dangerous.
- position beacons. The beacons and reflectors located at the ends of the road are often deteriorated or broken. In the absence of lines that delimit the road, they are in charge of marking the path to follow.
- Ambient lighting. The peri-urban roads are illuminated, although on many occasions it is deficient. The national and secondary roads are not illuminated, but if their position beacons are deficient, driving becomes more unsafe and dangerous.
In theory, the poor maintenance of Spanish roads will be solved with the collection that will be executed through the new toll for the use of highways and highways which will enter into force this year 2023 or in 2024. In any case, it remains to be seen whether they come into operation and if so, whether this money is allocated for this purpose...
Source - Directorate General of Traffic (DGT)