This week's heart-wrenching traffic accident that claimed the lives of a mother, father and their young daughter should serve as a serious eye-opener for anyone taking to the steering wheel.

That nearly an entire family lost their lives due to poor road judgement is a tragedy that is difficult to fully comprehend. We say 'nearly' since the couple's son was very thankfully spared because a relative was babysitting him.

This was the second tragic incident catalysed, although under different circumstances, by reckless driving within the space of a month. The first, as we all remember, was that of cyclist Cliff Micallef, who also had his life taken so sadly from him and his loved ones.

Yes, Malta could do with more speed cameras, which should be placed at accident hotspots instead of at speed traps. The mayor of Zejtun told the press this week that the council has been requesting action on the road where the young family perished, and one would not be hard pressed to imagine that action there will be taken in the very near future.

One, however, must question the merits of a retroactive response in the wake of a tragedy instead of proactive action when the concerns had first been raised? Yes, it would be a case of too little too late for the victims but certainly not for those making use of the road in the future.

What the system also needs is a root and branch reform of the way driving is taught, and, perhaps even more so, the way driving is regulated on our roads.

The devil, it is said, lies in the detail. But in this case it is perhaps the guardian angel that lies in the detail.

Malta's driving test regime has been strengthened and tightened up significantly, the abuse and bribery formerly inherent in the system appears to have been dealt with and the new tests are far, far more demanding than those of years gone by.

Those of us who have had driving lessons in schools in the United States and in other countries that also employ the practice will recall sitting through horrific videos showing traffic accident after traffic accident - gruesome footage that can make many wary of even taking the theory test, let alone taking to the open road.

Scaring the living daylights out of prospective drivers before they take to the roads themselves can be a traumatising experience, but one that exposes students to the grim realities and the risks of driving.

The Maltese authorities would do well to consider similar tactics for young drivers about to get their licence.

While worthy strides have been taken in the licensing system, the authorities must begin cracking down on driving contraventions, on even the slightest of infringements.

Those responsible need to foster more discipline behind the wheel among the country's ever-growing driving population. When drivers have it instilled in them to, for example, signal when making a turn, stop at zebra crossing or turn their lights on in tunnels, they will think more than twice before undertaking dangerous manoeuvres - quite unnecessarily endangering their lives, the lives of their passengers and the lives of any pedestrians, drivers or passengers in their paths.

The multitude of traffic contraventions seen on a daily basis around the country is symptomatic of the country's all-too-often haphazard driving culture.

The country's small size is something of a blessing - one can only wonder how many road deaths the country would suffer if it had longer roads, higher speed limits and longer distances to traverse.