Among cars aged 15 or more presented for inspection, lighting and signalling faults are the most common defect category, accounting for 23.1% of recorded failures. The figures point to a transport problem that extends beyond the condition of the vehicles themselves.
The Asociación Española de la Carretera (AEC) says 52% of Spain’s road network needs improvement. Its latest figures, from 2024, estimate that about 33,966 km require urgent reconstruction in under a year. The estimated shortfall in road maintenance and conservation has reached €13,491 million.
The Urda rail tragedy has also drawn attention to transport conditions. A report on rail survivors described how local residents carried passengers to a municipal sports hall.
Road deterioration is visible in worn surfaces and recurring repairs. The AEC describes the network’s condition as the worst since the late 1980s, when many national roads were gradually being converted into the autovías familiar today.
The vehicle fleet compounds the concern. AECA-ITV puts its average age at 15.2 years. In inspections of vehicles aged 15 or more, emissions faults account for 22.3% of defects. Chassis-related faults make up 20.1%. These include problems with wheels and tyres, as well as faults affecting axles or suspension.
