Son Cladera: Crash Again at MA-13 Exit - Residents Demand Speed Reduction

Crash Again at the Exit to the MA-13: The Same Scene, the Same Frustration

Monday afternoon in Son Cladera: a dull bang, a few dogs howling, and leaves skittering across the asphalt — then another car sits crooked at the access to the MA-13. The driver suffered only minor injuries in the collision. Trash bins lay scattered, the stop sign was scratched, and neighbors fetched blankets to secure the roadway. For people here, the sight is sadly familiar.

More Than Driver Error: Why Does the Problem Keep Happening?

The question goes beyond assigning blame: why is this particular exit a crash hotspot? Residents count at least three similar accidents just this year. The pattern is always the same: excessive speed when merging, distracted or intoxicated drivers, poor visibility at night, and a road layout that offers little guidance. Mobile police checks have been carried out — they have short-term effects but do not address the structural problem.

In the current case the Guardia Civil found a breath alcohol level of over 0.90 mg/l. That is almost four times the legal limit and has led to proceedings for endangering road safety. But prosecution does not answer the question of how the road must be designed so that a mistake does not immediately lead to a collision.

Urban Planning Is Often Missing from the Debate

On Mallorca we like to talk about beaches and festivals. We talk less about the small, ugly places where urban planning fails. A highway exit like the one to the MA-13 needs structural precautions: visible road markings, narrowing elements, speed bumps or a small roundabout solution that automatically reduces speed.

Visibility is also crucial. In low sun or at night only good lighting, cleared sight lines and reflective posts help. A lone stop sign on a blind curve is not protection, as residents here know from experience.

Alcohol Prevention Instead of Just Fines

The debate quickly turns to license suspensions and penalties. That is important but incomplete. On-site prevention must be strengthened: reliable night buses or shuttle services, cooperation with bars and restaurants to ensure safe trips home, clear information campaigns in venues around Son Cladera.

Low-threshold offerings are still missing: a locally run reporting platform or app where citizens can document repeated incidents would generate reliable figures. These data create pressure on the city administration and show that these are not isolated cases.

Practical, Quickly Implementable Measures

Residents' proposals are pragmatic: stricter speed limits with clearly visible signs and mobile speed devices, lane narrowings or speed bumps, a traffic light phase at peak times or a small roundabout. Fixed cameras could deter speeders and simultaneously provide evidence.

Just as simple: place trash bins so they are not thrown onto sidewalks in a crash, and add reflective markings to guideposts. Such small measures often help until larger redesigns are realized.

Politics Needs Visible Results — Not Just Press Photos

A few additional checks and a press photo on site are not enough. People in Son Cladera want a clear timetable: a joint report by the city administration, traffic planners and police, a short-term prioritization and visible, structural measures. Only then will trust be restored.

City administration, traffic planners and police must now work together instead of alongside each other. A provisional package of measures for the coming months — better lighting, temporary lane narrowing, more mobile checks to deter offenders — could soon bring noticeable improvements in safety.

On site: the sun was low, passersby collected broken glass, neighbors secured the spot with blankets and called for solutions. Small, human gestures in a problem that above all needs structural answers.