Radar crackdown on speeding drivers

CENTRAL government delegate in the Balearics, Ramon Socias confirmed yesterday that as of Monday, six fixed radar positions and seven mobile ones will monitor the speed of traffic in the Balearic Islands. The move comes in the wake of rising road accident death rates on Balearic roads announced by Socias which during the first quarter of 2008 had reached 20. Socias also announced at the end of last week that the Guardia Civil are to have use of a helicopter which will keep a lookout over the Tramuntana mountain range to act as a deterrent to the practice of illegal motorbike races which take place on both lanes of single carriage roads, thereby posing a highly dangerous threat to oncoming traffic. A tragic example occurred only a week ago when two teenagers on motorbikes were killed on the road between Selva and Caimari as a result of a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre.