Liverpool player and Portuguese international Diogo Jota died in a car crash on the A-52 highway, near the 65-kilometer mark in Spain’s Zamora province. Local officials and drivers have described the stretch as “extremely dangerous,” with a surge in accidents in recent years.
The crash site is characterized by tight bends: “Low visibility at night often contributes to accidents in this area,” noted locals.
In 2023 alone, the A-52 recorded 19 crashes — more than any nearby road — with a grim average of 1.5 fatalities per incident. Alarmingly, many collisions occurred under optimal conditions: dry pavement, good visibility, and light traffic — hinting at inherent dangers in the road itself.
Drivers must also navigate wildlife hazards: wolves and deer frequently roam the highway, and animal-vehicle collisions are far from rare. Complaints about poor road safety have flooded various organizations. In recent years, the driver’s association AEA Club has fielded reports warning of severe potholes.
Last year, Spain’s Ministry of Transport received over 40 formal complaints about potholes on this stretch in a single month. One widely shared photo showed a tire completely destroyed by a pothole. Frustrated drivers questioned: “The A-52 is supposed to be a modern highway — should such safety flaws exist? Is fixing it with asphalt and paint really that costly?”
