Spain’s roads are being flooded with new speed cameras in 2024. With an increase of over 15% to a total of 3,395 cameras, the question arises: who is responsible for this massive expansion, and is this strategy the right path to more road safety? A closer look at the numbers reveals a surprising finding.
In 2024 alone, 454 new radar devices were installed on Spanish roads, representing a 15.44% increase compared to the previous year. According to Coyote’s fourth annual Radar Observatory, these cameras consist of various types: 2,341 fixed radars, 566 traffic light cameras, 232 section-control systems, and 256 mobile and seatbelt cameras. Interestingly, nearly half of these cameras (47%) are located in urban areas, with only 18% on highways and 34% on secondary roads.
The distribution of radar cameras is far from uniform. Some autonomous communities seem to be particularly focused on speed controls. Catalonia leads with 902 devices, followed by Andalusia with 450, and Castile and León with 356. On a provincial level, Barcelona tops the list with an impressive 618 radar devices, far ahead of Madrid with 252. The biggest percentage increases in 2024 were seen in the Balearic Islands (+33.78%), Asturias (+25.59%), and Catalonia (+21.29%). Only Cantabria slightly reduced its number of speed cameras.
Most drivers attribute the massive increase to the DGT. However, the data from Coyote tells a different story. While the DGT, Trafikoa, and the Catalan Traffic Service together installed 88 new radar devices, it was the city councils and autonomous communities that were responsible for the majority of the increase, adding an impressive 366 control devices. The bulk of the new radar installations did not come from the national traffic authority but from local and regional administrations. Looking ahead to 2025, there is no sign of a slowdown. The DGT plans to install another 122 radar devices, 41 of which are already operational. Drivers in Spain must therefore continue to brace for a rising density of speed controls, which on average already mean that each driver encounters 87 fixed radars per month.
