'This could have ended in tragedy' - Concrete action urged for road safety
PN proposes 'zero tolerance' as they plan to table private members bill
Updated Friday, 10.40 AM with details on PN private members' bill
The Nationalist Party on Thursday called for “concrete action” to address road safety in Malta, saying they will put forward a private members' bill to address the situation.
At the same time, an emergency doctor slammed the situation on Malta's roads as "unacceptable".
The statements came in the wake of another accident caused by drink-driving when a car, driven by a Brazilian man, crashed head-on into an oncoming bus in the opposite lane on Tower Road in Sliema. The car driver was four times over the alcohol limit.
Michael Spiteri, who was attending to the first call out of the day at just before 6am on Thursday in the wake of the Sliema accident, warned this could "have ended in tragedy".
“Irresponsible drivers are putting innocent lives at risk. It is obvious that some are refusing to learn, so the only way forward is random and frequent checks, harsh penalties, and highly visible enforcement to deter this reckless behaviour. This country should act to reduce preventable injuries and deaths,” Spiteri said.
In a number of proposals to address the issue, the Opposition insisted on “zero tolerance” for accidents caused by drivers who are found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, stronger law enforcement, harsher penalties and the introduction of a “new specific criminal offence” for causing death or grievous bodily harm due to gross negligence, recklessness and/or dangerous driving.
This offence would carry a minimum penalty of five years’ effective imprisonment, rising up to life imprisonment in cases with aggravating factors, the PN said.
Those proposals will be included in the private members' bill, the statement signed off by PN MPs Darren Carabott, Mark Anthony Sammut, and Karol Aquilina said.
Currently, the Police Force has 18 breathalysers, while LESA has five breathalyser kits, all of which only detect alcohol.
The PN said the number of road-testing devices “must be increased,” and kits that detect drugs should be added.
“This is a real and serious problem on our roads,” the PN said.
They also highlighted the shortage of staff allocated in the police traffic section and urged for greater investment in the police force, the traffic section and the authorities responsible for road enforcement.
These proposals follow a chorus of voices from various entities calling for the introduction of random drug and alcohol tests for motorists and increased road safety.