Run-off-road accidents continue to be one of the biggest causes of serious crashes on Spain’s roads, with around 500 people killed and more than 1,500 seriously injured every year.
According to provisional figures from Spain’s traffic authority, the DGT, these accidents caused 482 deaths and 1,788 serious injuries in 2025 alone, making them deadlier than all collision accidents combined.
The vast majority happen on conventional roads, many of them familiar routes used daily across the Costa Blanca and inland Alicante province.
Most crashes involve just one vehicle
One of the most striking findings is that nearly 90% of these accidents involve only a single vehicle.
Experts say many happen silently and suddenly, often linked to fatigue, distraction or loss of concentration.
A recent study by Spain’s National Institute of Traffic and Road Safety (INTRAS), which analysed accidents between 2017 and 2023, found that more than half of serious or fatal run-off-road crashes occurred on single carriageway roads.
Night-time driving was identified as particularly dangerous, especially between 02:00 and 05:00, when tiredness and reduced visibility become major risk factors.
Fatigue and distraction remain major causes
The study highlights several common factors behind these accidents:
- Driver fatigue and microsleep
- Distraction at the wheel
- Poorly signposted curves
- Bad weather conditions
- Lack of road lighting
- Older vehicles
- Changes in road level and sharp bends
Many crashes happen without any obvious attempt by the driver to correct the vehicle before leaving the road.
Road safety experts say tiredness is often underestimated, particularly after long work shifts or lengthy journeys.
Conventional roads still pose the biggest risk
Around 72% of fatal run-off-road accidents happen on conventional roads rather than motorways.
These roads are common across rural Costa Blanca areas and inland routes where drivers regularly travel between towns, beaches and urbanisations.
Curves are another major danger point, accounting for around 44% of the most serious accidents.
A reminder for Costa Blanca drivers
With summer traffic increasing across Alicante province, road safety organisations are reminding drivers to avoid driving while tired, take regular breaks and reduce speed on secondary roads.
Simple actions such as stopping for a coffee, sharing driving duties or delaying a journey can make a major difference.
Let Bridging the Gap help you navigate through more Costa Blanca Red Tape.
