Repsol YPF

The slogan chosen by the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico - Traffic department) for the awareness campaign this Yuletide is “Menos siguen siendo muchos – Fewer is still a lot less ”. This will be heard on the radio and TV over the twelve days of Christmas. The latest awareness campaign will complement the special monitoring of the roads that has been set up by the DGT to protect road users over the next couple of weeks.

The EU has approved the creation of a shared database, with countries exchanging the relevant information, whose aim is to allow member states to keep a check on driving offenders. The idea of a shared European database that contains information on those who have committed driving offences aims to make it easier to collect fines from the drivers. Member states have one year to apply the new legislation.

La Dirección General de Tráfico –the Traffic Department- has set up a special Christmas operation to control the 17 million journeys it expects over the Christmas period. The special operation set up this year by the DGT will last two days longer than last year and will be developed in three phases, coinciding with Christmas, New Year and Epiphany.

Holidays are times of the year when many families decide to make trips and journeys by car. Children are into the most vulnerable passengers and so they should receive some special attention so as to make the journey safer for all concerned. Other tips outlined below will also make the trip less of an ordeal for them.

According to the Spanish government the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico – Traffic Department) has agreed to carry our road safety campaigns in 2009, the budget for this is €12.3m. It is also worth mentioning that the DGT will save around €20m with its new streamlined fine paying process.

During 2008 many new cars have been launched and among these, and with a clear Italian touch, was the new Alfa 147 Ducati Corse. A special series which has seen two of the most important Italian firms from the world of motoring collaborating in its creation; Alfa Romeo and the motorbike firm Ducati.