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The DGT sets up this summer`s special operations
According to the calculations made by the DGT – Dirección General de Tráfico Traffic Department - 84 million car journeys are predicted within Spain in July and August. The first exit operation of summer 2009 starts on Friday 3rd July. This summer the DGT will set up monitoring operations every weekend, increasing the level of vigilance the first weekend of each month and the last one in August.
The summer holiday period is now upon us and as always the number of trips by car increase in the months of July and August. This is why the DGT has prepared a series of special operations to maintain a good level of traffic flow and to keep an eye on the safety of road users, around 84 million trips are foreseen by the DGT. For the first exit operation of summer 2009 the DGT has organised extra help on the roads from Friday 3rd July to Sunday 5th, providing driver services and monitoring the predicted 3 950 000 car journeys.
Over the last few summers the DGT has identified some changing habits as important factors that affect its special summer operations. One of these for example is that the start of the holiday period for many people is now not normally on the 1st or 15th like it was in bygone days, now the public takes advantage of the weekend to travel. That is why the DGT is paying special attention to weekends all through the summer. Another factor taken into account by the DGT is the increase in the number of foreign vehicles with drivers returning to their country of origin, these drivers will have special areas where they can rest and where they can get information.
The most important special operations foreseen by the DGT this year are on 31st July, 1st – 2nd August, in what has been called Operación 1º de agosto, as well as 29th, 30th and 31st August - Operación Fin de agosto. And every weekend the numbers of police will be reinforced so as to improve safety. This summer the DGT has set up a special campaign to combat drinking and driving, and so there will be a special drink-driving awareness fortnight between 6th – 19th July, where the number of breathalyser tests will be increased. 19 000 drivers have been arrested in the last twelve 12 months for being at the wheel of a vehicle after drinking.
Awareness campaign in the media
In addition to the measures taken by the Dirección General de Tráfico and the services it provides to the public, it has also prepared an awareness campaign that will be seen and heard over the next couple of months on the radio, the TV and on the internet. The slogan is “Todos conocemos las normas de circulación; todos sabemos como se hace ¿Por qué no lo hacemos? – We all know the Highway Code and know how to drive safely - why don`t we do it”. The DGT is sending a message to drivers to behave carefully and responsibly at the wheel.
6/30/2009
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