Nearly 600 Driving Distractions Detected in One Week of Traffic Checks Across the Balearic Islands

October 30, 2026

The Guardia Civil recorded 573 distraction-related actions during 186 traffic checks between 5 and 11 October 2026. More than 200 cases involved drivers using mobile phones, although no separate figures have been published for Ibiza and Formentera.

The Guardia Civil detected 573 instances of distracted driving across the Balearic Islands during a week-long traffic surveillance campaign, highlighting the continued risks associated with using mobile phones and carrying out other activities behind the wheel.

The checks took place between 5 and 11 October 2026 as part of a special campaign promoted by Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT). A total of 186 traffic controls were carried out across the archipelago.

According to information released by the Guardia Civil’s Traffic Sector in the Balearic Islands, more than 200 cases involved drivers making telephone calls or using social media and messaging applications while driving.

The figures cover the Balearic Islands as a whole. No island-by-island breakdown has been provided, meaning the number of incidents detected specifically in Ibiza or Formentera is not known.

Mobile phone use remains the most common distraction

Using a mobile phone was the most frequently detected behaviour during the campaign.

The Guardia Civil reported more than 200 instances of drivers making calls or handling social media and messaging applications while their vehicles were in motion.

However, officers also identified several other behaviours that can divert attention from the road, including:

  • Searching for objects inside the vehicle.

  • Interacting excessively with passengers.

  • Eating while driving.

  • Adjusting vehicle systems while the car is moving.

  • Putting on a seat belt after setting off.

These activities can reduce a driver's ability to respond to changing road conditions and react to unexpected situations.

Distractions were a factor in 32% of fatal road accidents in 2025

The Guardia Civil also highlighted national DGT figures showing that driver distraction was recorded as a contributing factor in 32% of fatal road accidents in Spain during 2025.

Distraction can affect a driver's reaction time, increase braking distances and cause vehicles to deviate from their intended trajectory. It can also prevent drivers from noticing road signs, markings, other road users or developing traffic congestion.

The DGT's wording is important: distraction was recorded as a contributing factor, rather than necessarily being the sole cause of those accidents.

Spain recorded more than 9,000 complaints during the same campaign

The Balearic results formed part of a wider national campaign.

Across Spain, the DGT reported 9,245 complaints for distraction-related offences during the same surveillance period, from 5 to 11 October.

Traffic officers checked 422,927 vehicles through 8,584 controls. Of the complaints, 3,816 concerned the improper use of mobile phones, representing 42.3% of the total.

Other frequently recorded offences included using headphones or earphones connected to audio devices while driving and putting on a seat belt while the vehicle was in motion.

These national figures are separate from the 573 distraction-related actions reported in the Balearic Islands.

Guardia Civil calls for full attention on the road

Following the campaign, the Guardia Civil's Traffic Sector in the Balearic Islands reiterated that driving requires full, continuous attention to the road and its surroundings.

Officers warned that even looking away from the road for a few seconds can prevent a driver from reacting in time to an unexpected situation.

The campaign forms part of the DGT's wider efforts to reduce distracted driving, one of the major contributing factors in road accidents.

The authorities continue to remind motorists that checking messages, handling a navigation system or carrying out other activities unrelated to driving can put both the driver and other road users at risk.

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