An injured biker has sworn off his motorcycle and hit out at transport minister Ian Borg for the state of road safety, after an overturned culvert caused him to lose control of his bike and crash.
Andrea Camilleri, 25, was driving his motorcycle on Friday evening on Triq il-Wied in Iklin, an arterial road that links Naxxar to Iklin, when the car in front of him drove over the newly installed culverts and knocked one out of place.
With little time to react, Camilleri drove through the open culvert and was thrown off his 125cc motorcycle. He ended up needing hospital treatment for grievous injuries.
Andrea in hospital after the crashCracked ribs and fractures
Speaking to Times of Malta after leaving hospital on Saturday, Camilleri said he has been left with two cracked ribs, a fractured nose as well as a fractured clavicle.
Weary, in pain and facing a long recovery from the incident, he said the accident has put him off motorcycles entirely.
“As soon as I feel better, I’ve asked my father to help me sell the bike, because the streets are not safe, there are potholes everywhere and one of these days we’re going to kill someone,” he said.
“This famous road is shameful, it’s taken them 18 months to finish it, it's a disgrace,” he said, referring to the newly opened Triq il-Wied.
The upturned culvert that caused Andrea Camilleri to crashCulverts are just one month old
The road has been subject to controversy as irate residents have complained about works on the road dragging on for close to a year and a half, as well causing other inconveniences such as power cuts and noisy construction vehicles.
Infrastructure Malta promised the road would be reopened by the end of June and blamed the COVID-19 pandemic to cause the Italian contractor a shortage in workers to complete the road.
It was eventually reopened earlier this month.
“I’m a bit pissed off because this was totally avoidable, I shouldn't be in this state,” Camilleri continued.
“Had they fixed the road properly as they should have, I would be at the beach today, not leaving the hospital.”
“In a sense I'm also quite fortunate that my injuries aren’t worse. Had there been cars in the oncoming lane, I would have been crushed. At least I can walk.”
In a Facebook post, Camilleri hit out at transport minister Ian Borg for the role of shoddy work in causing his accident.
“Ian Borg, please note that I'm suffering from grievous injuries which include various fractures throughout my body. This incompetence will surely get someone killed someday. What a disgrace.”