Accident in Sant Elm: 20-year-old drives car down embankment — without license or insurance

Car slides three meters down slope – witnesses alert emergency services

On Tuesday afternoon, around 2:50 p.m., the calm in Sant Elm was abruptly disturbed. In the small parking area above the beach, a car lost control and rolled more than three meters over the edge of a slope. Several bathers and passers-by watched as the vehicle came to a stop in the undergrowth.

An ambulance and two patrol cars from the Policía Local in Andratx were quickly reported on site. The driver, a 20-year-old man, suffered only minor injuries. He received medical attention on site and was then examined on an outpatient basis – exact information about possible fractures or internal injuries was not yet available in the evening.

Unusual findings during the check

What the police discovered during the initial check raised eyebrows: the car bore German license plates, was officially deregistered and apparently did not have valid motor insurance. In addition, the young driver could not present a valid driving license. He said the car belonged to his stepmother; the officers could not immediately verify this.

It remained unclear whether the technical inspection was valid (ITV in Spain, the TÜV sticker in Germany). The combination of foreign registration and deregistration made it more difficult to immediately check the documents.

Lucky escape — and questions for the authorities

The damage this time appeared to be limited to the vehicle and the vegetation on the slope. But residents and holidaymakers quickly recalled other cases in which improperly registered vehicles caused greater problems. A nearby café owner told me he heard the bang and ran outside immediately: 'You don't see something like this every day. Fortunately no one is seriously injured.'

The police have opened an investigation for driving without a license and on suspicion of missing insurance. It will also be clarified who actually owns the car. Whether charges or further measures will follow is up to the public prosecutor's office after the investigations are completed.

What locals take from it

For many on the island, this is another example of how foreign vehicles and cars that have not been re-registered can cause trouble. The debate about how strict checks should be is reignited. Until then, Sant Elm remains a quiet place — at least as long as no car gets too close to the edge of a slope.

Short note: The police ask any witnesses who observed the incident to come forward. Any small piece of information can help reconstruct the sequence of events more precisely.