The number of road fatalities in the first two and a half months of this year has already equalled the total for 2021. Road deaths last year doubled from five to 10 during the last three months.
The possibility of that happening again this year should send shivers down every motorist’s spine but, more importantly, push the relevant authorities to do all it takes to address the situation head-on.
Consultant emergency physician Jonathan Joslin lists speed and alcohol as the two top causes of death and disability on our roads.
Malta Road Safety Council chairperson Pierre Vella is rightly calling for drastic changes in the behaviour of motorists and the driving culture.
He suggests launching safety campaigns highlighting the injuries sustained by motorists, passengers and pedestrians. That could serve as a very powerful deterrent. However, such an initiative should also be accompanied by information on what caused the accident so that lessons could be learned and the necessary remedial action taken.
There had been talk of a traffic safety investigation agency being set up and, only the other day, Joslin described a road safety authority or an overseeing body for road safety as a “step in the right direction”. In his view, such an entity should be empowered to implement radical change in addressing defined unacceptable road safety practices, working directly with other stakeholders.
What fate has met these initiatives? Such entities could be a major step forward in changing the driving culture Vella spoke about.
Sadly, enforcement and discipline on Maltese roads are weak, not to say next to inexistent. Traffic policemen who, to quite a good degree, did serve as a deterrent, are conspicuous by their absence and both Transport Malta and the Local Enforcement System Agency leave a lot to be desired.
The road safety council has no executive powers, though its members are on the forefront in expressing their concerns and making recommendations. Its chair was very categoric when he declared: “Enforcement is definitely lacking.”
When the council was set up just under seven years ago, it had planned to press for stronger enforcement of road safety rules, clamping down on mobile phone texting, lack of indicator use, double-parking and obstruction. Evidently, it has not been very successful in its campaign. Just days ago, Vella reported that the council had seen more excessive speeding, mobile usage, ignoring of stop signs and red lights and an overall lack of responsibility by motorists and society.
Improving the road network can be done by throwing money at it. Changing a culture and road users’ behaviour is far more complex and challenging.
Still, no stone should be left unturned if genuine attempts are to be made to contain loss of life and limb as far as is humanly possible.
“Road courtesy keeps death off the road,” a boxed message in bold capital letters in The Highway Code says. “By reading and following the rules of The Highway Code, you can help reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads,” a final message advises.
That should, indeed, be all road users’ ultimate aim because, as Joslin pointed out, trauma on our roads is no accident and loss of life is preventable.
“When a person understands that driving a vehicle is an important responsibility and that human beings are fragile, they are much more likely to obey the rules of the road and drive safely,” emergency department doctor Michael Spiteri observed.
Courtesy, enforcement and discipline are the way forward to safer roads.