Valencia bans amber traffic lights to slash urban accidents

Valencia’s bold move: eliminating amber lights to cut urban accidents

Spain’s urban crash stats: a 6% drop but still a crisis

In 2024, Spain recorded 66,545 urban traffic accidents, leaving 488 fatalities and 5,043 hospitalizations—a 6% decline in city deaths, according to the DGT. While progress is undeniable, Luís Martínez-Sicluna, Secretary General of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities, emphasizes the urgency: “We’re committed to halving severe injuries and deaths by 2030.”

Valencia’s radical plan: targeting vulnerable road users

The Valencian City Council is taking drastic steps. Their Directorate of Traffic Safety focuses on pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter riders—groups accounting for 70% of serious injuries. Key measures include:

• Phasing out amber lights at bike lanes (linked to 30% of collisions at intersections).
• Automated fines for vehicles encroaching bus lanes or sidewalks.
• New police patrols on scooters to monitor speed, helmet use, and lane discipline.

Why amber lights are the new enemy

Studies reveal amber phases trigger 40% of bike/scooter crashes at crossings. Valencia will audit every intersection, removing amber signals where risks are highest. “The goal is clarity,” explains the plan. “If a light changes, it must be a definitive red or green—no ambiguity.”

Tech and enforcement: the new tools in the fight

Valencia’s Traffic Safety Unit will deploy:

• Two license-plate scanners to flag illegal bus-lane/bus-stop violations.
• Mobile patrols on scooters to blend with micromobility users.
• Acoustic alerts at pedestrian crossings and countdown timers for clarity.

Beyond semaphores: valencia’s broader safety overhaul

The city’s 2030 Safety Plan includes:

• School zone upgrades with speed bumps and pedestrian refuges.
• Motorcycle parking relocation to avoid blind spots at intersections.
• Sidewalk obstacle removal and better bus stop accessibility.

Global perspective: is valencia leading the charge?

While cities like Barcelona and Madrid have tightened micromobility laws, Valencia’s amber-light ban stands out. “It’s about humanizing traffic systems,” says a local official. “If a scooter rider hesitates at amber, they’re more likely to swerve into danger.”

What’s next? a 2030 deadline looms

Valencia’s Directorate of Mobility aims to cut severe accidents by 50% before 2030. Early results? “We’ve already seen a 12% drop in bike-scooter collisions at tested intersections,” reports the council. The question is: Can this model inspire other cities?

Daniel Jackson | CarHireHub

Passionate about urban mobility and tech-driven safety solutions.