2022 was the deadliest year on record for road fatalities in Malta, with 26 road deaths.
It was a tragic year that highlighted just how dangerous our roads are.
In the first two quarters of this year, there were eight road fatalities. This is less than the number of road fatalities in the first two quarters of 2022. However, this does not mean that all is ok, it is still eight too many. In addition, the number of accidents is actually higher thus far this year, which is a cause for concern.
In 2022, between January and June, there were 7,835 accidents, whereas this year it rose to 8,086. In terms of accidents which caused injury, the figures are close together. In the first half of 2022 the figure stood at 653, and in the first half of 2023 it was slightly higher at 662.
One cannot stress enough just how important it is to abide by the road regulations, drive safely and to always be aware while on the roads.
There are so many distractions nowadays that it is easy for one to forget just how dangerous losing concentration could be. Looking down at your mobile phone, drink driving, driving under the influence of another substance, driving recklessly through traffic, speeding... all these things and others could result in an accident that could injure you, your passengers, others or worse, lead to death.
The government had earlier this year increased the fines tied to disobeying the rules of the road. Among the changes, the fine for a person found guilty of driving through a red light increased from €100 to €200. Speeding over 15 km/h over the speed limit saw the fine increase from €69.88 to €100. The points penalty system for licenses also saw some changes, as the use of mobile phone had its parameters increased from 3-6 points to 6-9 points for instance.
The move was made to act as a deterrent to breaking the rules on the road. Of course this needs to go hand in hand with stricter enforcement.
As said, the number of accidents on the road has not gone down, and we could probably do with more officers keeping a look out on the road to catch rule-breakers.
Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia said that this past weekend, more than 320 cars were stopped by Transport officials on the Coast Road. As a result, these road checks led to around 100 fines, and even two arrests. This is the kind of enforcement we need on the roads. If we do not punish those breaking the rules, then the dangers on the road will remain. Let's not forget, the number of vehicles is rising every single day.