Magistrate urges random alcohol, drug tests after fatal biker crash
Man who died in Senglea crash in June had cocaine in his system
A magistrate has called for random roadside alcohol and drug testing of drivers, after a fatal Senglea motorcycle crash revealed the rider had cocaine in his system.
Magistrate Joe Mifsud made the recommendation following a magisterial inquiry into the June accident on Triq ix-Xatt Juan B. Azopardo.
The 43-year-old motorcyclist lost control, struck a bollard and was killed on the spot. No one else was injured.
Toxicology tests conducted during the autopsy found traces of cocaine in his system.
In his concluding remarks, Mifsud said that “while it seems that disciplinary measures have started being taken while driving, enforcement needs to increase and officials should be conscious of their role in protecting lives”.
He stressed that while discipline has never killed anyone, substance abuse has, with the victims sometimes being innocent, law-abiding citizens who suffer due to the abuse of others.
The magistrate urged better coordination between the authorities and constant, rather than sporadic, law enforcement presence on the roads.
He referred to a 2023 position paper co-written by NGO Doctors For Road Safety, the Maltese Association of Psychiatry and the Foundation for Welfare Services on drug-driving under the influence of psychoactive drugs.
Enforcement needs to increase and officials should be conscious of their role in protecting lives
The paper states that “the use of psychoactive drugs can result in impaired driving skills, leading to an increased risk of road traffic crashes.
“It is important to note that the most common psychoactive drugs involved in driving crashes are often taken for recreational purposes, although prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines and opioids can also impair driving skills.”
Mifsud endorsed each of the paper’s eight recommendations, including the introduction of a legal framework to enable random drug testing for psychoactive substances, as well as the random screening of professional drivers, such as taxi, school bus, coach and heavy machinery drivers.
The paper also called for the establishment of clear guidelines regarding acceptable substance levels in the body while driving, and the review and updating of existing legislation to include penalties for the combined use of drugs and alcohol to reflect the increased risk to road safety.
Many European countries allow random or targeted random roadside testing for alcohol or drugs. In the UK, Germany and Malta, the police need “reasonable suspicion” to conduct tests.
The magistrate’s call comes amid a spate of serious road accidents in recent weeks, several linked to drink-driving.
In July, AFM soldier Benjamin Chetcuti was allegedly five times over the alcohol limit when his car hit 62-year-old Mildred Azzopardi in Valletta, killing her and injuring her husband. The test returned a positive result of 139.2 μg/100ml when the legal limit is 22micrograms.
On August 10, food courier Khim Bahadur Pun, 42, from Nepal, was killed when his motorcycle was hit by a car driven by a 17-year-old in Santa Venera.
The youth fled the scene but was arrested five hours later. Police said a breathalyser test found he was over the legal alcohol limit.
And earlier this month, a taxi crashed into a hair salon in Santa Venera. The owner, who was outside at the time, was unhurt. Tests showed the driver’s alcohol level exceeded 100mg.