Tow trucks overwhelmed and cars stuck for months in Spain

The poor condition of Spain's roads is causing a bottleneck in vehicle repairs, with waits of up to two and a half months to fix a car after an accident.

## Roads like a minefield

The state of the roads in Spain has become a major problem. Potholes and poor maintenance cause punctures and vehicle damage every day. The situation is such that a car involved in an accident can spend months waiting to be taken to a garage. The **Ministry of Transport**, headed by **Óscar Puente**, appears oblivious to a problem that keeps getting worse. The investment needed for maintenance is around **5,000 million euros a year**, according to the **Asociación de Empresas de Conservación y Explotación de Infraestructuras (Acex)**, Spain's infrastructure maintenance association.

## Tow trucks and garages at breaking point

Once a vehicle has an accident, it can take weeks to be taken to a garage, especially if it is outside its autonomous community. The **storage yards** are packed. On top of this comes the **labour shortage** in garages and delays in the delivery of parts. The result is that, from the accident to the final repair, it can take **two and a half months** if there is mechanical as well as bodywork and paint damage.

## Investment on hold

**Acex** has denounced that an announced investment of **1,000 million euros** to ease the situation has been put on hold. The problem, according to the association, is that public tenders have turned into auctions, which discourages participation. Meanwhile, damage to vehicles keeps growing, and drivers face long waits and unexpected costs.