The Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) is the public of traffic management in Catalonia. The Interior Minister of the government of the Generalitat is the president of the SCT. The powers of the SCT, as traffic authority, are road safety, control and traffic management in the territory of Catalonia, without thereby affecting the powers of the municipalities in the urban network.
The SCT was established by an organic law on December 24, 1997. Its main objective is to improve road safety on the road network of Catalonia through the planning and implementation of policies and preventive actions and /or appropriate deterring actions.
SCT activities cover a wide range from driver training and education of children, young and old, to research in road safety and traffic management, through the use of ITS and automated information systems and detection violations. The Spanish government retains full powers over vehicle registrations and regulations related to the driving exam.
The government of the Generalitat has 1,200 police (Mossos d 'Esquadra) dedicated exclusively to traffic management and road safety. In 2011 the SCT processed 985,000 sanctions on Catalan roads.
The SCT has obtained excellent results in terms of reduction of road mortality. When, in 2000, the SCT received the full executive powers in traffic Catalonia 14.2 people died each year per 100,000 inhabitants, while 2011 the mortality rate had dropped to 4.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, a 67% decrease.
Innovative traffic management policies - both from an environmental and road safety perspective - were introduced in Catalonia. The use of safety cameras for speed control and systematic drug checks, which were started in 2006, are two such examples.
The Catalan Traffic Service has a budget of 96 million euro and has been tasked to conduct a three-year plan (2011-2013) with a target of 15% reduction in serious casualties. The plan includes, among other things, the extension of road safety education in formal education, support to municipalities with local road safety plans and a 5% investment in R&D activities.
 |
 |
 |
 |