According to General Traffic Department (DGT) statistics, 15 people, including five bikers, died in traffic accidents between 3pm last Friday and midnight last night. Twelve others were injured, eight of whom seriously.

The most serious accident occurred on the N-634 freeway near Cerdigo (Castro Urdiales) where a 38 year old man was killed and four others injured, two very seriously, in a head-on collision involving two cars.

While grisly, the total is well down on the same weekend last year when 34 people died, and also compares favourably with 2006 (28 deaths) and 2005 (19).

Tragically, there was a sharp increase in accidents involving motorcycles coinciding with the Jerez MotoGP: 83 people were injured in 73 accidents in and around the circuit and a 19 year old lad on a moped died in a collision with a much bigger, heavier and more powerful machine in Chipiona (Cádiz).