Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531391
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 JANUARY 2025 5 INTERVIEW The following are excerpts from the interview. The full interview can be found on maltatoday.com.mt as well as our Facebook and Spotify pages. PHOTOS: JAMES BIANCHI / MALTA TODAY A few days ago, you wel- comed the road enforce- ment that took place during the festive sea- son, and just a few hours later, we saw the first fatal road accident of the year. In your state- ment, you called for the same enforcement to be present throughout the year. First of all, what needs to change apart from increased enforce- ment? In recent years, we've been at the forefront of efforts to ensure that road enforcement increases. As an association that represents insurance companies, the number of accidents obviously affects us, but this isn't a matter of claims, money, or business. This is about safety on our roads. I'd like to have peace of mind when I use the roads, whether as a driver or a pedestrian. Safety can improve if everyone does their part, and that includes us as drivers and pedestrians. Everyone can contribute to enhancing road safety. Enforcement is crucial too, as there will always be instances of abuse. It's unfortunate that our statement was issued on the same day as the first road fatality of 2025. No fatality is just a statistic because there's a family behind each victim… We try as hard as we can to offer our guidance and provide advice on what's happening overseas and how we can implement those practices here. A lot of the time, the solutions are closer than we think, and we don't have to reinvent the wheel. Can you name some ex- amples? I, like many others, travel. If you look at how enforcement is carried out, even something as simple as a sign that says, "This road could be subject to speed gun monitoring" has an impact. Even if the speed guns aren't actually in use, the notice alone makes you automatically reduce your speed. Abroad, we're seeing the introduction of average speed cameras. These differ from fixed- point cameras like the ones we have here, where drivers know exactly where they are, slow down, and then speed up again once they've passed. An average speed camera calculates your speed over a distance between two points, giving you much more road coverage. Our roads may be shorter, but these cameras could certainly be used on certain roads in Malta. If you drive in Sicily, you're familiar with this, as they're there as soon as you dock in Pozzallo. These are practical examples of how enforcement can be carried out without placing a heavy burden on the country, but still significantly improving safety on our roads. When we were talking earlier you mentioned studies the IAM conduct- ed where the amount of people tested with a breathalyser after an accident is alarmingly low. It's very low. Over the past five years, we have conducted three studies, all of which have been consistent with each other. We asked our members to examine their data, identify the claims involving high-value damage or injuries, and assess how many breathalyser tests were conducted in these accidents. Across the three studies, the figure remained around 3%, which, while not insignificant, is shockingly low when you consider the number of cars on our roads. You've also mentioned the law regarding breathalyser tests. You said the association has spoken with government about the need to change the law. Currently the law says there has to be reasonable suspicion for the police to use breath- alyser tests. Why should this law change? It needs to change for two reasons. Firstly, the law places more emphasis on alcohol than on drugs. When you consider that a few years ago we decriminalised cannabis for personal use, we believe the law should also address substance abuse more broadly. We have no guarantee that those who smoke cannabis are using only cannabis; there could be other substances involved. That's why testing is crucial. Secondly, we believe there are gaps that need to be addressed. One of them is the lack of testing in certain accidents, such as those we discussed earlier. How can it be that an accident involving two or three vehicles and serious injuries results in no alcohol or drug tests being administered? [...] In your statement you also mentioned the road accident investigations bureau that was prom- ised some years ago. Why is this entity needed? Wherever transport is involved, accidents occur. You can't imagine a plane crash that isn't followed by an investigation. Transport Malta has entities that investigate air and maritime accidents, so why not road transport? The role of the entity isn't to blame one person or another. Its aim is to understand what went wrong, what led to the accident, and to come up with recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future. Unfortunately, discussions have been ongoing for a while. As a stakeholder, the IAM is consulted regularly by authorities, and these discussions have been going on for about six or seven years. I know there were some discussions between Transport Malta and the courts because the courts also have their own inquiries. What we don't need is a lot of entities doing the same work without determining what led to the accident. As an association, we consult with the authorities, and I am informed that things regarding the bureau are now moving at a fast pace.