Parliament has, at long last, begun debating the traffic reform measures, which, most importantly, include a reduction in the legal limit for drunk driving, that were first unveiled last October.  And that debate has come not a day to soon.

For far too long the country’s drivers have been subject to what are the European Union’s most generous blood alcohol limits, at from 0.8g of alcohol per litre of blood.  That limit is now set to be reduced to what is effectively the European average of 0.5g.

This is most welcome news indeed.  Such a revision had been promised by the last administration but it never saw the light of day.  For one reason or another, there was never the gumption to push those changes through and this administration should be congratulated for having taken the bull by the horns at long last.

Over and above that, people responsible for passengers, such as taxi drivers and bus drivers, will, according to the proposed legislation, which has now had its first reading in Parliament this week, have an alcohol limit of zero.

Again, this is another extremely positive development and it is, in actual fact, virtually unthinkable that such a measure had not been implemented far, far earlier.

If passed through Parliament, wardens will also be empowered to issue breathalyse tests to drivers who they believe have had a few drinks too many. Should the breathalyser results show that the driver has exceeded the threshold, by law the warden will be required to call in police officers to the scene.

Fines for driving over the alcohol limit would also be raised from €1,200 to €1,800, and fines for repeat offenders would rise from €2,329 to €3,000.  Courts, meanwhile, will be given power to order a probation period of offenders and make them go to a seminar at the offender’s expense.

But while these new and improved proposals are entirely positive and welcome, one could certainly have gone a step further.

For example, when Ireland similarly recently reduced it blood alcohol limit in the exact same way as is being proposed in Malta, it introduced a number of novel concepts that bear consideration.  Learner and novice drivers in Ireland face even harsher restrictions, with their limit now being set at 20mg, meaning that a single pint of beer, a glass of wine or a single measure of spirits could push many motorists over the legal limit. Malta at present makes no such distinction between categories of drivers and their blood alcohol content levels, and the new and albeit improved proposed rules make no such distinction either.

The effects of alcohol are particularly acute in younger people, who, according to studies are less experienced drivers, are immature and have a lower tolerance to alcohol than older people. Young people aged between 18 and 25 are also more likely to die in road accidents than from any other cause, according to those same studies.

Perhaps such considerations could be taken on board during the coming readings of the new legislation in Parliament.

Whatever the case, it is sincerely hoped that the new drunk driving rules, as well as the other measures being proposed to curb reckless driving are passed through Parliament unanimously and without any further delay.  After all, the faster the country gets the ball rolling toward safer driving, the more lives that stand to be saved.