Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s traffic authorities have issued a fresh road safety warning after a week-long enforcement campaign found hundreds of children travelling without the correct protection.
The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) said 458 children measuring 135cm or under were found travelling without the proper child restraint system, or using it incorrectly, during checks carried out between 10 and 16 March. In total, officers inspected 443,758 vehicles and more than 700,000 people during the campaign.
Why has DGT issued a child car safety warning in Spain?
DGT reports that 458 children were found travelling without the correct child restraint system or using it incorrectly during a one-week campaign across Spain.
Children were more likely than adults to be travelling incorrectly
One of the most striking details in the campaign data is that non-compliance was proportionally higher among minors than adults. DGT reported a 2.4% failure rate among children, compared with 0.84% among adults.
That gives the story a stronger public-interest angle than a routine enforcement report. It is not simply about fines. It is about children still being put at unnecessary risk on Spanish roads. That concern is even sharper as spring travel begins to pick up.
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Most offences were detected on conventional roads
DGT said 69.3% of the people found without the correct safety device were travelling on conventional roads, which remain among the most dangerous in Spain because they account for a high share of fatal crashes and run-off-road accidents.
That matters because many family journeys, especially local and regional trips, happen on these roads rather than on motorways. It is a reminder that short or familiar routes are not automatically safer.
Why the warning matters beyond one campaign
The agency linked the campaign to a broader safety message. DGT said that, so far this year, among 73 people killed in cars or vans whose safety-device use is already known, 21 were not wearing one at the time of the crash, or 29%.
For families, the message is straightforward. A restraint system only works if it is the right one, fitted properly and used every time. The latest figures suggest that too many journeys in Spain are still falling short of that basic rule.
A spring travel reminder for families
This is the kind of story that often gets overlooked in favour of bigger headlines, but it has clear real-world relevance. As weekend trips, Easter planning and family outings begin to increase, DGT’s figures are a reminder that child safety checks should be as routine as checking fuel, tyres or directions.
The headline number is stark. More than 450 children were found travelling without the correct protection in just one week. For Spain’s traffic authorities, that is not a minor lapse. It is a warning sign.