Residents of the upper part of Birkirkara Road in St Julian’s have complained that they have fallen victim to several hit-and-run accidents, with their parked cars being considerably damaged as vehicles coming from San Gwann crash into them.

The drivers of these vehicles then drive on, leaving the residents fuming because of the damage caused to their parked cars and with all the hassle that follows after such accidents – reports to the police and insurance companies, and dealing with mechanics for repairs, not to mention the inconvenience of being without a car for days, if not weeks.

The latest accident took place over the past weekend, when a Hyundai was literally lifted onto the pavement after a vehicle crashed into it and kept going. The body on the driver’s side of the Hyundai was badly damaged (photo), and the car cannot even be driven because the front axle was snapped.

This is one of many accidents that have taken place in this stretch of road, with many residents now choosing to park their vehicles further away from their homes in less busy streets.

Residents who contacted The Malta Independent said that such accidents occur on a regular basis. There have been at least three occasions when the cars hit were declared “total loss” by the insurance companies, and other times when the cost of the damage ran into more than €1,000 euros.  In other instances, such as when side-windows are clipped or the dents are minimal, no report is filed with the police.

A few months ago the residents spoke to the St Julian’s local council to have a crash barrier installed at the road curvature to protect the parked cars, together with other traffic calming measures to force drivers coming from San Gwann to slow down. But although the council promised action, nothing was done and the situation has remained the same.

There have also been calls for cameras to be installed in the area to help in the identification of cars/drivers involved in these hit and run accidents, but this has not been done either. Police officers taking in reports from the residents always ask whether there are cameras to help them in their investigation, but none exist.