The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM) warns that without random roadside testing for alcohol and drugs, impaired drivers continue to evade detection, putting vulnerable road users at risk and undermining road safety efforts.
This position statement addresses a critical road safety issue affecting all road users in Malta. An active discussion about protecting our roads from substance-impaired drivers was initiated last summer, but as these conversations have quieted down, we risk losing momentum for real change. Road safety cannot be a seasonal concern. Every day without action means more preventable deaths and injuries. This statement aims to reignite the conversation about an evidence-based solution, that is random roadside testing (RRT) for alcohol and drugs.
MAPHM is aware that Parliamentary Bill 146 [Various Laws relating to the Prevention of Driving under the influence of Alcohol and Drugs (Amendment)] has been presented to the Adjunct Committee for the Consideration of Bills. We hope that the evidence-based recommendations from reputable associations (including D4RS, FSWS, MAP) together with emergency consultants, have been incorporated into the amendments.
Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a serious and preventable health crisis. Driving under the influence of alcohol alone causes around 25% of all road deaths across the European Union. In Malta, 16 people lost their lives by September 2025.
Currently, Malta's law only allows police to test drivers with reasonable grounds to suspect impairment, creating serious enforcement problems. Impaired drivers without obvious signs slip through undetected, and variations in police officers' or traffic wardens' judgement lead to inconsistent enforcement. When drivers believe they are unlikely to be caught, the law loses its power.
RTIs hit hardest those least able to protect themselves - pedestrians, cyclists, children and elderly people suffer disproportionately from road trauma.
RRT, referred to in the Consensus Report on Drug-Driving and recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), protects everyone by reducing impaired drivers. Since RRT can happen anywhere at any time, without requiring prior officer suspicion, it provides protection across all routes and hours, keeping vulnerable road users safer.
RRT applies the concept of general deterrence. When people believe they are likely to be caught, they change their behaviour and avoid violations. Research shows that when punishment is seen as certain and severe, people are less likely to offend. Such behaviour change cannot be achieved through suspicion-based testing currently practiced in Malta.
The message must be clear - roadside-testing should remain completely random and conducted on substantial numbers of drivers, irrespective of time, day or occasion. This randomness and broad coverage makes the system effective, as demonstrated through the Australian experience. Australia has successfully reduced drink-driving through widespread, highly-visible screening when impaired, in the interest of public safety. Under random testing, fair enforcement is ensured while allowing different treatment based on documented medical use and demonstrated lack of impairment.
Following legislative reform, implementation should mirror the successful Australian model with high-intensity enforcement, high-visibility operations at prominent testing sites, unpredictable deployment across varied locations and times and ongoing systematic monitoring.
RRT reduces irresponsible driving, deaths, and injuries resulting in a cost-effective public health investment. Every day without legislative reform is a threat for all road users. The question is not whether Malta can afford to implement RRT, but whether we can afford to continue without it. We must act now to save lives.
Dr Lara Wilma Borg is a member of Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM).
Malta Association of Public Health Medicine (MAPHM) is a full member of Malta Health Network www.maltahealthnetwork.org