On August 12th, tips for safely enjoying the solar eclipse

Due to the forecast of high mobility due to the solar eclipse of 12 August, the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) recommends prior planning of both travel and observation of the phenomenon in order to avoid incidents and ensure road safety .

The main recommendation is to avoid long journeys whenever possible. If the eclipse can be seen from the place of residence or from a nearby municipality with good visibility conditions, it is better to opt for it in order to reduce excessive travel.

However, if it is essential toorganise the trip in time , the Directorate-General for Traffic recommends avoiding last-minute departures and, where possible, using public transport as a safer and more efficient option.

Prior to the start of thejourney, it is advisable to consult the state of the roads and weather forecasts, and to be informed through official channels and navigation systems, in order to ascertain possible incidents or restrictions on traffic.

To observe the eclipse, Traffic recommends choosingauthorized or enabled locations   with sufficient parking spaces and adequate access. In this regard, it recalls that the Autonomous Communities have identified more than 360 safe observation points distributed throughout the territory and recommends avoiding secondary roads and limited capacity spaces that can be saturated by the massive influx of vehicles.

At observation points in wilderness areas, the DGT has called for extreme precautions to prevent fire risk, especially in areas at greatest risk.

He also recalls that it is strictly forbidden to stop the vehicle on the side or on the road to observe the eclipse, a practice that poses a significant risk to road safety, and recommends maintaining maximum caution while driving, since the astronomical phenomenon itself can become an important element of distraction .

Finally, theDirectorate-General for Traffic recommends planning the return journey as well . Although it reaches observation points in a phased manner, the exit after the entire phase can concentrate a large volume of vehicles and cause significant traffic jams, especially on secondary roads.

In order to minimize these problems, it is advisable to stay at the observation site for some time before returning and staggering the exitto help ease access and facilitate more fluid and secure traffic.