Joslin insists on random testing as PM says drink-drive penalties may be raised
'Protection, not reaction, must be the guiding principle'
Emergency doctor Jonathan Joslin on Sunday reiterated his call for random testing of motorists for alcohol and drugs after the prime minister said penalties were being revised, but did not mention roadside testing.
At present motorists are only tested after accidents or when there is 'reasonable suspicion' that they may be driving under the influence.
"Random Testing is the true deterrent in decreasing injury and death on Malta’s roads," Joslin, leading consultant at the Mater Dei emergency department, wrote in a Facebook post.
"While higher fines and stronger punishments may act as one layer of deterrence, experts insist that the real game-changer lies in random roadside alcohol and drug testing. This must be applied before a collision happens, not only after injury or death has occurred.
"Protection, not reaction, must be the guiding principle. Drivers must understand that the risk of being caught under the influence does not depend solely on the tragic aftermath of a crash. It must be clear, publicly and categorically, that anyone can be stopped at any time, tested on the spot, and face serious legal consequences if found guilty," the doctor stressed.
He said the prime minister's reform must therefore ensure that random roadside testing for all vehicles becomes the central deterrent.
"Only then will Malta send the strongest possible message: if you drive under the influence, you will be caught – and the consequences will be severe.
Several groups have over the past weeks called for roadside random testing after a spate of accidents linked to driving under the influence. Among them were the Insurance Association, the Malta Hotels and Catering Establishments, the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE).
The government itself raised the possibility of random drug testing for drivers when it launched the National Drug Policy for public consultation in March last year.