Insurance lobby calls for year-round road safety measures

'The risks associated with drink- and drug-driving are not confined to the holiday season. Road safety should never be treated as a seasonal concern; it must remain a priority every single day,' Insurance Association Malta said

By: maltatoday.com

Jan 06 2025
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Insurance lobby calls for yea

Insurance Association Malta (IAM) has called for a year-long commitment to road safety measures, noting the lack of serious accidents during the festive season when authorities were more present on Maltese roads.

“The risks associated with drink- and drug-driving are not confined to the holiday season. Road safety should never be treated as a seasonal concern; it must remain a priority every single day,” the association emphasised in a statement.

While commending the Malta Police Force for its heightened enforcement over the Christmas period, including 170 road checks, 4,700 vehicle inspections, and the issuance of over 400 fines, the association expressed concern over the lack of similar efforts during the rest of the year.

“Drivers who choose to endanger their lives and those of others should face robust and unrelenting deterrence year-round,” the association said, calling for sustained initiatives to ensure safer roads.

The IAM has been promoting road safety, including the provision of breathalyser kits to the police. It praised the use of breathalyser tests during the festive season, which identified 11 drivers over the legal alcohol limit, as a proactive step to curb dangerous driving.

However, the association stressed that such measures must extend to drug-driving, describing it as a growing issue.

The association also highlighted the delayed implementation of the Transport Safety Investigative Commission, which was promised by the end of 2023 but remains unestablished. This delay, combined with recent serious traffic accidents, underscores the urgency of such an agency to analyze and prevent future incidents.

“As representatives of the insurance sector, we see firsthand the devastating consequences of road accidents, many of which could have been prevented through better enforcement and public education,” the association concluded.