Routine traffic inspections have continued in recent weeks on various roads across Malta and Gozo, the police said Wednesday.

These checks are carried out regularly at all times of the day, both during daylight hours and at night, as part of the Police Force's ongoing commitment to safeguarding the safety of all road users, including drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

During these inspections, the vast majority of drivers were found to be compliant with traffic regulations. However, where breaches were identified, immediate action was taken and summonses were issued as required.

Between 1 and 30 December, a total of 271 road-checks were carried out, during which 7,932 vehicles were stopped. Around 513 summonses were issued and approximately 123 charges were brought, while four individuals tested positive for driving under the influence of alcohol.

During two separate inspections, police arrested two individuals. In one case, officers noticed a vehicle that failed to stop when instructed and was being driven in a dangerous manner. Shortly afterwards, the driver abandoned the vehicle at the side of the road and was later arrested. The driver was arraigned in court, admitted to the charges, and sentencing has been deferred to a later date.

In another case, a driver was caught driving without a licence twice on the same day. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

Among the contraventions detected during this period were drivers operating vehicles without a valid licence or insurance policy, carrying more passengers than permitted, and failing to wear seatbelts. A number of vehicles were also towed after drivers failed to present a valid driving licence.

Traffic inspections will continue throughout the coming night and on the first day of the new year, and will remain ongoing throughout the rest of the year, with the aim of ensuring safer roads in both Malta and Gozo.

In the preceding months, between 1 January and 30 November, police carried out a total of 2,711 roadchecks, stopped around 58,850 vehicles and issued more than 3,300 summonses. During this period, 43 individuals tested positive for driving under the influence of alcohol.

In addition to enforcement measures, police officers also distributed educational material in various localities encouraging drivers not to drink and drive. This material was placed, among other locations, on parked vehicles.