The Insurance Association said Tuesday it is increasingly concerned about the number of unqualified drivers on the road, in the light of recent media reports that suggest that some people had passed the driving test despite not being competent enough to do so.

These reports have raised serious questions about the integrity of the driving test process and the safety of all road users, the association said in a statement.

One of the main concerns of motor insurance companies is that unqualified drivers are more prone to cause accidents. In fact, studies have shown that drivers who have not been properly trained are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents. This is because they may lack the skills and knowledge necessary to operate a vehicle safely in all conditions, the association said. 

What is even of greater concern is that some of these unqualified drivers may be driving taxis or heavy vehicles, that can potentially cause more serious accidents since they require a higher degree of driving skills to be handled.

While the court case relating to the authority officials progresses, it is essential that Transport Malta does not await its outcome and take immediate action to identify these drivers and required them to submit to their driving test once again, the association said.  Failure to do so will result in a serious drop in confidence in the validity of driving tests in Malta and a continuing unacceptable increase in risk to all road users of being involved in an accident caused by such drivers.