Rota, a local NGO advocating for safer and accessible active mobility, has launched a new project titled Road Victims in Malta.
The project is a memorial page on the Rota website, showing victims who have lost their lives in road accidents in Malta.
The photos used are obtained from news articles from various newsrooms in Malta. The project focuses on road deaths, however, it is difficult to quantify the damage that has been due to health complications and other repercussions from injuries, death at a later stage, grief and loss, it said
Rota said the goal of the project is two-fold. The first is to remember these people, the second to shed light on the situation for the government to act quickly.
“We believe each victim is more than a number on a national statistics table or a headline on a newspaper. These victims were people with families, dreams and ambitions who had their lives tragically cut short on the road.
“Whether by car, motorbike, on foot or by bicycle, everyone has the right to arrive back home safely. Another part of the campaign involves mapping of these road accidents to show where the accidents have happened over time,” Rota said.
It said Maltese roads have become a source of constant fear and danger for the island's inhabitants and despite efforts to reduce the number of road deaths, the situation seems to be only getting worse.
“The lack of strict laws and enforcement mechanisms has created a culture of impunity on Maltese roads, where drivers feel free to engage in dangerous behaviour with little fear of consequences.
“Much of the current road infrastructure in Malta is inadequate and dangerous.
“Government agencies keep designing wide roads which encourage speeding, in the hope of increasing the traffic flow. However, this was already tried, tested, and failed in European countries.
“This, combined with the lack of consistent enforcement, creates an environment where accidents are almost inevitable,” Rota insisted.
It said that the high number of road deaths on Maltese roads is a result of the systemic failure of legislation, enforcement, and infrastructure.
The government must take swift action to address this issue and ensure the safety of all road users.
This can be achieved by imposing strict penalties on dangerous driving behaviour, legislation that protects more vulnerable users, improving enforcement mechanisms, and investing in the development of safer road infrastructure that is safe by design.
“Only by taking these steps can we hope to reduce the number of road deaths on Maltese roads and create a safer environment for all,” Rota said.