The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) is predicting that 84 million car journeys will be made during July and August on the Spanish roads and has warned that there will be a notable increase in the number of breathalsyer tests being performed.

Excess speed and alcohol consumption remain the main causes of traffic accidents, especially during the summer fiesta season, and the DGT will be running a special campaign between July 6th and 17th.

Last summer, 447 people lost their lives on the roads in Spain, 95 fewer than in 2008 and the DGT is intent on seeing this downward trend continue.

Roads leading from the main cities to the Mediterranean coast are expected to have especially heavy traffic this coming weekend and again at the beginning of August. 

The DGT will be running 'Operación 1º agosto' on the first weekend in August and 'Operación Fin de agosto' on the last weekend of the month during which additional lanes will be opened to ease the jams and alternative routes will be advertised for heavily congested routes.

There will be an additional 400 police on the roads during these periods compared with last year which, together with the 1,183 cameras, 1,822 information panels and 18 helicopters, should help to make the roads safer.