A collision involving two cars and a truck on Tuesday on the A-355 highway in Coín resulted in three fatalities, adding to the seven other lives lost in accidents at the same location within the last ten days of 2023. The recurring pattern in most incidents involves crossing into oncoming traffic, often in an attempt to overtake, leading to frontal collisions. The dual-carriageway experiences a daily high volume of traffic, attributed to the gradual increase in the municipality’s population and the preference for this route by heavy vehicles over coastal alternatives. This situation has prompted Coín’s Mayor, Francisco Santos, to address the issue of safety concerns.
Call for Action: In response to the safety challenges, Mayor Santos has urged the Junta de Andalucía for the expansion of the road from Casapalma to Coín. This proposal is currently under consideration, as the administration is actively analyzing the matter. Additionally, the mayor has advocated for measures such as continuous road markings, which have already been implemented, and he emphasizes the need for a section speed radar, a request he claims to have submitted to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT).
Differing Perspectives: Contrary to Mayor Santos’s claims, sources from the Government Sub-delegation in Málaga state that they have not received the expansion request from either Coín’s City Council or the Junta de Andalucía. They assert that the majority of accidents in the area are unrelated to excessive speed. While acknowledging their limited jurisdiction over the autonomous regional road, the DGT provided safety recommendations in September, responding to an observed increase in accidents. They also increased the presence and surveillance of the Traffic Civil Guard in the region.
Appeal for Swift Measures: Mayor Santos insists on the urgency of implementing effective measures to prevent further accidents, urging both the Junta de Andalucía and the DGT to take necessary actions promptly. He also calls for caution among drivers, citing the most recent accident on December 19, which he attributes to reckless overtaking. Santos believes that addressing such negligence is crucial in preventing road accidents.
Human Factor and Proposed Solutions: An officer familiar with traffic accidents in the area concurs that human factors, particularly lack of attention, contribute to many incidents. He notes that vehicles entering the A-355 from Casapalma, after being on a highway with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour, may struggle to adjust to the lower speed limit of 90 kilometers per hour. He suggests that a viable solution could be the expansion of the road into a dual carriageway up to the exit leading to Alhaurín El Grande, transforming it into an expressway.
Conclusion: While fatal accidents are known, incidents in this stretch are frequent. The officer recommends the installation of a section speed radar as the quickest solution. Despite previous safety measures, including additional road markings and speed reducers, accidents persist, highlighting the need for comprehensive and swift action.
Read more about the tragic road accident on Tuesday:
A serious traffic accident occurred on Tuesday, December 19, on the A-355 road as it passes through the municipal area of Coín (Málaga), resulting in three fatalities.
According to an official source, the report of the accident was received at 13:30 hours on Tuesday. It took place at kilometre 4 of the A-355 as it passes through Coín. Another driver at the scene remained unharmed. A team of personnel from the same municipality has been dispatched to the location, awaiting the process of extricating the victims.
According to health service sources, two men aged 70 and 80, along with a 62-year-old woman, died at the scene.
Given the severity of the accident, the Emergency Service 112 Andalucía alerted the Provincial Fire Consortium, the Guardia Civil, and health services, all of which were despatched to the area.
The road where the accident occurred has become notorious in recent years, evident in the high number of incidents. In the last decade, nearly twenty families have witnessed the death of a child, a father, or a sibling on its asphalt. This tragic toll is etched in blood on this regional road, which, after originating in the town of Coín, passes through the municipalities of Monda, Ojén, and Marbella.
In total, 38 kilometres in length, the road has a single lane in each direction, a circumstance that significantly complicates its operation. It is a crucial artery for thousands of citizens who use it to travel from the interior to the western coast or to head towards the capital of Málaga.
