The dearth of proper roads or motorsport facilities means that car and bike enthusiasts have little place to go in order to satisfy their need for speed. Unfortunately, this often means that petrol-heads try and satisfy their craving for speed on public roads.

In the past six months the highest speed recorded by a speed camera was 191.5km/h in Gudja, according to statistics provided by Transport Malta in reply to a freedom of information request. The national speed limit in Malta is a rather more sedate 80km/h, and 50km/h in built-up areas.

The Qormi side of Mdina Road is another hotbed for speeding. The two speed cameras on the North and Southbound lanes have captured cars or bikes travelling at 174.9km/h and 168.9km/h respectively. The speed limit for that particular road is 60km/h.

Another camera on the Zebbug side of Mdina Road has recorded a top speed of 163km/h. A speed camera in Burmarrad clocked a vehicle speeding at 153km/h, more than double the 70km/h speed limit for the road.

A two-tier fine system exists for speeding offences captured by a speed camera. A speed violation of up 15km/h will result in a fine of €34.90. Those with a slightly heavier right foot will be fined €69.98 for a violation that is 15km/h over the limit.

Only drivers on a probationary license face getting penalty points or their license withdrawn for speeding offences caught on camera.

Two years ago, Transport Malta had proposed a fine of €500 for violations 30km/h over the limit, but the recommendation was shot down.

According to NSO statistics, speed camera contraventions totalled 15,242 in 2013, 85% of which were in 15km/h over the speed limit.

The speed camera in Attard is the most likely to catch motorists out thanks in part to the 50km/h speed limit in the area. The camera caught 6,115 contraventions last year.

 

Reflective paint will not foil the cameras

In recent years, a number of products have been touted as being the holy grail of speed camera fine dodging. The easiest to apply is reflective paint to a car or bike’s number plate. This paint supposedly reflects the speed camera’s flash, obscuring the vehicle’s number plate.

Transport Malta said that none of their cameras have been foiled by counter-measures such as reflective paint. The reason? Special filters used do not allow reflective paint on licence plates to have an effect.