Malta Insurance Association concerned by sharp rise in traffic fatalities
“Our concern around high road incidents is exacerbated further when one considers that none of the electoral manifestos of the two main parties refers to road safety. We have to ask, does road safety stand any chance of being given the importance it deserves?”
He added, “We cannot remain passive with road safety but we need to muster all the energy we have and resources to help the police enforce the multitude of laws in place. We need action, not through promises, but through hard work and initiatives. Although it was not its duty, the
MIA took concrete action five years ago in donating breathalyser kits to help the police enforce drink driving laws. Without them, enforcement of such laws would be much weaker than today. However, these kits are only the tip of the iceberg – the police need much more. Handling irate individuals behind the wheel while intoxicated requires a great deal of skill and tact.”
Galea added, “The MIA has also gone through the trouble and expense of recommending changes to the law to bring drink and drug driving on a par. However, now that we have decriminalised cannabis use even further, we are still not in a position to check and test drivers for any drugs, simply because the equipment does not exist as yet.”
He reiterated that the voice for better enforcement and importance to road safety is becoming stronger, and the party elected
to run the country at the end of this month needs to address these issues. “We need to stop terrible news about injuries and fatalities as soon as possible. Victims should not be just a statistic. They leave behind a tragic loss to their families and loved ones which cannot be replaced with any financial compensation that insurance may provide. Our priority should remain prevention. We need to save lives and to avoid permanent disabilities that result from road accidents.”
In a supporting statement, the MIA said, “As with every recipe, success can only be achieved if good ingredients are thrown into the pot. First, we need strong and effective enforcement where policing authorities clamp down on abuse, for instance, the use of mobile phones which distract drivers, over-speeding, drink and drug driving, general nonobservance of traffic rules and using random checks and technology. We need proper investigation of the causes of accidents to identify them and thus focus prevention efforts better properly. Driver education is important, so are regular media campaigns, but these are from being enough.”
It added, above all, we need to rid ourselves of this fragmentation we have in responsibilities for all that relates to road safety. “The time is ripe for serious consideration of the setting up of a singular road safety authority. We are in the midst of an election campaign where the political parties resort to promising everything under the sun. Can we see some pledges to tackle road safety with the investment in equipment and training to help the enforcement authorities to apply the rules effectively? Can we have a pledge to review and update the law so that drink and drug driving are tackled with the seriousness they deserve? All we are asking for is to give road safety a chance!”