Parliament continued debating a bill which seeks to amend laws on driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs on Monday.
The bill introduces random roadside testing without prior suspicion, harsher penalties, mandatory licence suspension in serious cases such as voluntary homicide, and mandatory sentencing for causing involuntary homicide while driving under the influence. Government has framed the reforms as a strong statement that road safety is a priority.
Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said vehicles can become "lethal weapons" when driven under the influence, stressing that "the principle remains that no one should drive under the influence." He appealed to MPs to support the bill, declaring: "The message should be a strong one: we cannot accept someone drinking or taking drugs before driving, because the risks are too big and the consequences are even bigger."
Jonathan Attard, Malta's Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector Minister, added that in cases of voluntary homicide, a driver's licence will be suspended while legal proceedings are ongoing. He provided background on the bail system, noting that courts must make a decision on whether to grant bail before suspending a licence, and emphasised that the presumption of innocence must be respected. He said the reform "emphasises the protection of life and the strength of our population," describing it as a direct response to growing public concern over road safety. He also highlighted that more than 25,000 people die in road accidents in Europe each year, stressing the scale of the issue and reaffirming that no one should drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Former justice minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici acknowledged that the law responds to public concern over rising road deaths but cautioned that granting police the power to stop and test anyone gives officers "a very strong power" that requires safeguards. He emphasised the importance of respecting bail and the presumption of innocence, especially when automatic licence suspension is applied while proceedings are pending.
Nationalist MP Graziella Attard Previ stressed that driving is a privilege, not an unconditional right. "Unfortunately, some people believe that roads belong to them, that they can drive recklessly, even under the influence of alcohol or drugs, without considering the tragic consequences for others," she said. She urged MPs to adopt a cultural shift, noting that if drivers imagined victims as their own family members, recklessness on the roads would dramatically decrease. Attard Previ also criticised government for reacting only after tragedies rather than taking proactive measures.
PN MP Claudette Buttigieg said the bill is not just about new legislation but about confronting a serious national problem. "The first point is that we have a problem - cases of road deaths and serious injuries linked to alcohol and drugs have become normalised. Even if not all were widely publicised on social media, these incidents are real, and society has accepted behaviours like drinking, taking drugs, or doing both at the same time," she said.
Buttigieg emphasised that the bill represents action: "We are doing something. Passing legislation is not enough; it must be enforced. Choosing to drink and drive is choosing to gamble with lives. This law must send a clear message that such behaviour is unacceptable." She noted the role of infrastructure and public safety measures, warning that while the law is important, it cannot solve all the problems alone. She also mentioned specific concerns, including early "happy hour" promotions on Merchant Street that encourage drinking at unsafe hours, as part of Malta's broader road safety challenges.
Government ministers argued that the reforms directly respond to citizens' concerns, underlining that deterrence is essential for lasting cultural change on Malta's roads.