Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535109
10 OPINION maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 MAY 2025 PICTURE this: it's 8 AM in Malta, and the roads are alive with movement. Cars weave through Valletta's streets, com- muters rush through Birkirka- ra, and the steady hum of en- gines echoes through Qormi. By lunchtime, the scene shifts—some areas quiet down, while others, like Sliema, buzz with shopping and social activ- ity. As evening falls, the roads once again fill with workers heading home, and by night, the focus moves to hotspots like Paceville, where nightlife takes over. But what do these daily patterns say about how we live, work, and socialise? Thanks to the Digital Traffic Brain project, a research initi- ative funded by Xjenza Malta and carried out by DigitalBrain Ltd, we now have a clearer picture of how traffic moves across the Maltese Islands. Us- ing data collected throughout the day, researchers have un- covered fascinating insights in- to the way our roads reflect our routines. One of the most striking find- ings from the project is how Malta's weather affects driving behaviour. Rain, for example, slows everything down. Drivers tend to be morecautious, keep- ing greater distances between vehicles, which in turn affects the overall traffic flow. Tem- perature changes also impact how people drive, with extreme heat leading to different pat- terns of movement—possibly as people avoid travelling dur- ing the hottest parts of the day. Understanding these patterns isn't just interesting; it's crucial for improving road safety and making traffic management more efficient. Beyond weath- er, the study identified clear trends in daily traffic move- ments. In the morning, cars flood major urban centres like Valletta, Birkirkara, Qormi, and San Ġwann, reflecting the daily commute to offices, schools, and government buildings. At the same time, smaller hubs like Mosta, Marsa, and Pembroke also experience steady movement as people travel from residential areas to their destinations. Even Gozo follows a similar pattern, with Victoria and Għajnsielem see- ing a morning surge as workers and students head out for the day. By midday, the roads tell a different story. While the in- tensity of morning rush hour dies down, commercial areas like Sliema and Pembroke re- main busy. This suggests that many people take midday trips for shopping, errands, or social meetings. Interestingly, Gozo follows a similar trend, with movement in Victoria indicating a shift from morning commuters to daytime activities. As evening approaches, the traffic echoes the morning rush but in reverse. Around 5 PM, major roads are once again filled with people head- ing home. This time, however, movement isn't just limited to residential areas—there's also a clear uptick in traffic heading towards leisure destinations. The northern coastal regions, such as St. Paul's Bay and Pembroke, experience more activity, hint- ing at people setting out for dinner, social gatherings, or sports activities. By late evening, around 10 PM, most of the island quiets down. However, nightlife dis- tricts like Paceville and Sliema remain hotspots, with a steady flow of cars ferrying revellers to bars and clubs. Meanwhile, more subdued but still notice- able movement continues in residential areas such as Mar- sascala and Żejtun, reflecting people returning home or vis- iting friends. Gozo, in contrast, sees minimal night-time move- ment, showing a much quieter lifestyle compared to Malta's busier nightlife scene. Understanding these daily patterns isn't just an interest- ing exercise—it has real-world implications for Malta's traffic management. With this data, From Rush Hour to Nightlife: Unveiling Malta's Hidden Car Movement Patterns Liam Bugeja Douglas, Luca Bondin and Alexiei Dingli .Every turn, stop, and route choice contributes to the ever-changing rhythm of Malta's roads, and hanks to projects like this (file photo)