So far this year there has been a 15 per cent fall in road traffic accidents compared to 2003 figures in Alicante province - the greatest drop since 1996. Sixty-three people have lost their lives in traffic accidents in the first half of this year. Experts do not yet know if the results are general or if specific measures to cut accidents have caused the decrease. Since the beginning of July, alcohol controls and speed tests have doubled in the province. It is one of the measures adopted by the traffic department (DGT) to curb fatal accidents during July and August. The DGT is moderately optimistic about the results and claims that 95% of accidents are avoidable. They attribute many accidents to excessive number of hours on the road, alcohol consumption, speeding and bad road conditions. The DGT advises no more than eight hours driving per day, with a 15-minute break after every 200 kilometres.
