COVID-19 Lockdown and Reduction of Traffic Accidents in Tarragona Province, Spain

Overview

Journal Transp Res Interdiscip Perspect

Date 2021 Jun 26

PMID 34173472

Citations 59

Authors

Oscar Saladie

Edgar Bustamante

Aaron Gutierrez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact that the lockdown decreed by the Spanish Government to combat the spread of COVID-19 has had on traffic accidents in Tarragona province (Spain). During the studied period of the lockdown (March 16 - April 26 2020) the number of accidents per day fell by 74,3% in coparison with those in February 14-20 (reference week) and 76% in respect to the equivalent period in 2018-2019. This reduction of accidents has been higher than the decrease of mobility during the same reference period (62.9%). This suggests a multiplicative positive effect of traffic reduction on roads safety. Our findings provide new evidences of the disruptive effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation and of how it could be used as a catalyst to promote more sustainable and secure transport systems.

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