21 people lost their lives on Malta's roads in 2025, and many more suffered grievous injuries.

21 lives were cut short.

According to the National Statistics Office, Grievously injured persons amounted to 131 in the first three quarters of last year, and consisted of 79 drivers, 15 passengers and 37 pedestrians/cyclists/others.

The statistics once again highlight the importance of road safety, and the need to keep alert and drive carefully on the road.

Routine traffic inspections continued in recent weeks on various roads across Malta and Gozo, the police said last Wednesday. Between 1 and 30 December, a total of 271 road-checks were carried out, during which 7,932 vehicles were stopped. That is not a small number.

This high number of road checks serves as a deterrent to people wanting to drive under the influence, or drive dangerously. Police presence on the roads is imperative to help prevent risky behaviour. The points system introduced a few years ago was also a step in the right direction. Harsher penalties were introduced for dangerous driving in recent years, which also acts as a good deterrent.

Many accidents could easily be avoided. Driving faster than the speed limit, looking at a mobile phone, driving under the influence, feeling too tired to drive can all be factors that lead to a dangerous crash. A crash which could put the driver's life, and even others, at risk.

A vehicle is not a toy, and there are plenty of other transport options people can use to get from point A to point B should one not be fit to be behind the wheel.

When its bad weather, slowing down can also make a huge difference. All it takes is a slight loss of grip for a car or motorbike to lose control.

The authorities would do well to continue ramping up road enforcement, to further act as a deterrent against dangerous drivers. also identify accident hotspots and introduce measures to improve safety, such as by changing barriers which might pose a danger for motorcyclists, making cycling lanes safer, and through the improvement of pedestrian infrastructure. There are pavements which are so narrow that one needs to step into the road when someone is walking in the opposite direction, for instance. There are infrastructural improvements that can be made.

But it is not only on the authorities to ensure safety on the road. It is also the responsibility of drivers and all those who use the road to ensure that they do so safely and without putting others at risk.