This recent report about several abuses in the driving test system has opened another can of worms and exposed yet another set of unethical and, possibly, illegal practices that seriously undermine any confidence the public may have with something as basic as the driving test.

Call it clientelism, or any other name, the fact is that it creates an unfair advantage between one segment of the public, who seek advantage or favour and expect to bypass the rules, and other segment of law-abiding citizens who judiciously follow and respect those same rules.

Apart from undermining any confidence in the system itself, it also encourages some people not to bother with proper instruction and training, knowing that they can obtain a licence anyway. It also encourages those employers of drivers needing to be licensed to make use, if they can, of a faster and less expensive route.

A driving licence is meant to filter out the good drivers from the bad ones, those who can and those who cannot drive properly, in full observance of the rules. Licences as a subject matter has become very topical nowadays – consider, for example, contractors’ licensing which has attracted so much discussion and debate. Will the issuing of these licences as well be at risk of being similarly abused and, if so, why introduce them in the first place?

The Insurance Association Malta has, for years, been lobbying for better enforcement and deterrence against abuse on our roads. It has engaged in discussions with the authorities, the very authorities that are now under scrutiny. It has for long suggested practical examples how this enforcement could be improved further through the use of technology and following practices adopted in other countries. No wonder decisions take forever to implement because the willpower to take them is lacking.

These authorities are perhaps not so concerned about more enforcement and about doing everything possible to reduce the number of accidents because they know that, ultimately, there is an insurance policy that will compensate the victims. Thus, the urgency of dealing with such serious matters is shrugged off because somebody else will pick up the pieces and, literally, the bills.

So, what’s the issue, some may ask. “After all, this is why insurers collect premiums, to pay claims,” they argue. This attitude has been persisting for far too long and has sadly become part of our culture, namely ‘anything goes’. Today, there is abuse in the issuing of driving licences, tomorrow it will be something else. Whether we like it or not, life simply goes on with no reaction.

Insurers, like other businesses in Malta, are having to constantly deal with too many issues which, frankly, should be tackled and sorted by the responsible authorities without further ado. Rather than being defensive, the authorities need to accept the criticism where rightfully raised, engage in discussions and take concerted action at addressing the issue at hand.

The authorities need to ensure that drug tests are carried out on drivers involved in traffic accidents that result in serious injuries or fatalities- Adrian Galea

In an article published in Times of Malta on August 22, 2022 (‘Police are encouraging drink driving, insurers claim’), we had the opportunity to expose the state of affairs with roadside breathalyser tests. As the article itself states, there was increasing evidence (provided by claimants) pointing at a situation where breathalyser tests were intentionally not being administered even where there were visibly drunk motorists involved in a traffic collision.

In the aftermath of this article, the police and LESA accepted the association’s offer to deliver presentations/seminars to their officers with the aim of addressing any misunderstandings or misconceptions there may be about claims involving intoxicated drivers and their victims. This is the kind of reaction we feel we should expect as a minimum.

This is the reason why the association has been lobbying for stronger deterrence against drug driving too. The recent cannabis decriminalisation has failed to address a very important factor – that drugs and driving do not go together and that it is still illegal to drive under the influence. Drugs impair the ability to drive irrespective of the fact that personal use of certain drugs such as cannabis is now not illegal.

We argued that the police need to be properly equipped and trained to handle intoxicated drivers. The authorities need to ensure that drug tests as well are carried out on drivers involved in traffic accidents that result in serious injuries or fatalities.

In the meantime, and for as long as the present situation persists, those driving while intoxicated incredibly continue to be treated on par with those who drive in a sober state.

Insurance is based on a very simple principle where the premiums collected from many policyholders pay for the claims made by the few claimants. The premiums collected from the many policyholders are usually enough to pay for the claims made, while allowing for insurers to cover their operational costs and, like every other investor, see a return on their capital in the form of a reasonable profit.

If the authorities continue to turn a blind eye or procrastinate at introducing stronger deterrent measures aimed at making our roads safer, there is little doubt that any resulting increase in claims is likely to cause premiums to increase as well.

Taking a cue from what happens in other European countries, insurance premiums could also act as a form of effective deterrence to abusers. For example, in many countries drivers who accumulate penalty points for driving offences are considered to be riskier drivers and, thus, not only face the consequence of paying costly fines or a driving licence suspension but also suffer a hike in their motor insurance premium.

Adrian Galea

Our authorities need to start treating these matters with the seriousness they deserve if they want confidence to be restored and maintained. The ‘anything goes’ attitude distorts the equilibrium, alas to the detriment of all motorists and the public.

Adrian Galea is director general of Insurance Association Malta.