The Transport Ministry is set to present its ideas for the establishment of a road safety bureau in the coming weeks, more than a year after the bureau was meant to be operational.

The Transport Safety Investigative Commission will be tasked to investigate the causes of serious road accidents. 

Minister Chris Bonett said on Monday that his ministry was holding talks with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs on the setting up of the bureau.

“In the coming weeks, we will present the first ideas on the bureau,” Bonett said when questioned, saying that changes to laws will be required.  

Chris Bonett answering questions on Monday. Video: Emma Borg

The minister underlined the importance of the bureau during a press conference marking Prime Minister Robert Abela’s five years in office.

“I would set up the bureau today if I could,” Bonett said, explaining that the delay was necessary to ensure that the rights of accident victims were safeguarded. “We are dealing with a very delicate subject.”  

Times of Malta had reported in September that the setting up of the bureau was delayed by the judiciary’s hesitancy to share the contents of magisterial inquiries.

Bonett stressed that his ministry is collaborating closely with the judiciary to ensure a proper process to respect the privacy of road accident victims and their families.

According to a government document published in April 2023, the Road Safety Bureau was expected to be operational by the end of 2023 to identify shortcomings, address issues, and spot patterns in road safety policies.

At present, magisterial inquiries and police investigations are the only tools available for the investigation of road accidents in Malta. Their findings typically remain confidential, which has drawn criticism from various quarters.

Victims’ families, insurers, and medical associations have condemned the delay in establishing the bureau, describing it as symptomatic of road safety being sidelined.

During the press conference, Bonett also urged drivers to observe traffic rules and treat one another with respect. “We must ensure that such bureaus and road safety councils are needed as little as possible,” he said.  

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