A driver crashed into a parked car on a San Ġwann street in the early hours of Monday last week, in what residents say is the latest in a series of similar accidents at the same spot.

Residents living on Triq il-Baltiku snapped pictures of the aftermath of the latest crash, showing an extensively damaged silver car at an angle of almost 90 degrees to the direction of traffic.

One local resident who did not wish to be named said there were two people in the car. He said the sound of the crash woke him up at about 1am but stressed this was only the latest in a string of similar late-night hit-and-run episodes.

“It’s quite a worrying situation... at least once a month there’s an accident,” he said, adding that “quite often” drivers have left the scene without taking responsibility.

“The street is near Paceville, so I think people are often driving under the influence... It’s a miracle someone hasn’t gone over the boundary wall,” he said.

It’s a miracle someone hasn’t gone over the boundary wall- resident

Another witness posting in a resident Facebook group said this was the third accident to occur in the same spot.

“Last night, we experienced another spin by a car, this being the third in the same spot, with damage to a parked car and a complete write-off of the speeding car,” he said.

“Luckily, no one was hurt, but we cannot [expect] to be lucky every time. Strangely enough, the police never came on site, not even to control the traffic, the road being reduced to one lane,” the resident said.

“Instead, a LESA warden showed up after a long wait. Nobody wants to lift a finger to make this street safe for residents and traffic alike,” he said.

Residents had already flagged the dangerous blackspot back in 2020.

'Practically impossible to get cameras on every street'

San Ġwann mayor Trevor Fenech told Times of Malta the council was concerned about all traffic incidents but the street in question did not have a disproportionate number of accidents.

“Speeding and drink driving is an occurrence which unfortunately can happen in just about every street... It is impossible to bubble-wrap every part of every street in Malta,” he said.

It was each driver’s individual responsibility to ensure they were in a fit state to drive, he added.

The council recognised the increased enforcement on the roads and would recommend that the police do speed monitoring and spot checks in this part of San Ġwann “which is the entry point from Paceville,” Fenech said.

Part of the street lies in St Julian’s. That town’s mayor, Guido Dalli, said the council had applied for a speed bump several years ago but it had been refused by Transport Malta because this is a bus route.

“It would be practically impossible to get cameras on every street, especially if they’re not a main road,” he added, but said the main problem area of the street was on the section falling under San Ġwann.

Responding to questions, LESA CEO Svetlick Flores said that no accident matching the details of Monday's incident had been reported to the agency.

"On the date and time mentioned, there were no vehicular accidents that were reported and actioned by LESA officers. However, there was an accident the day before on August 19, reported at 8:12 pm," he said. 

Two cars had been involved in a head-on collision and their owners had chosen to move to them to the side of the street, Flores said. 

"LESA performs numerous checks and enforcement operations in the said zone and different areas around Malta and Gozo. Such enforcement is continuous in order to serve as a deterrent."

Questions were sent to Transport Malta on Monday.