Utter neglect of pedestrians' rights

Thank you to Joe Buttigieg, Traffic Authorities Please Take Action, (January 13) for highlighting the much neglected but important issue of pedestrians' rights. I applaud and share his concern. I once lived adjacent to the pedestrian crossing he refers to (near the Diplomat Hotel) and used (or tried to use!) it almost every day. Even if a driver did eventually stop for me, it was quite common for the traffic from the other direction to keep flowing, or for another car to pull out from behind and overtake while I was crossing. While traffic lights would reduce, they would not, alas, entirely eliminate such risks. I have frequently witnessed the potentially murderous tendency of drivers to race through the red lights, even while people, including families with young children and babies in pushchairs, are in the act of crossing.

There is a disturbing recklessness in the behaviour of some drivers towards others on the road whom they seem to regard merely as obstacles in their way. Even crossing minor side roads is a hazard, as many drivers fail to signal when they make a turn, and then accelerate towards, instead of waiting for, any pedestrian misfortunate enough to be halfway across at the time; and how often are people on foot threatened by motorists tearing along one-way streets in village cores, or other roads where there are no pavements? Perhaps all would-be drivers should be obliged to spend a few days crossing dangerous roads themselves and sharing some of the pedestrian's horrific experiences, before being granted their licences!

There seems to be a corresponding lack of concern on the part of wardens and the police to address these often flagrant breaches of traffic laws, and a rather shocking degree of public tolerance towards those who are convicted of causing injury or even death through dangerous driving, reflected in the shamefully light penalties awarded to them.

It would seem there is an urgent need for the creation of an independent body to lobby for the recognition of pedestrians' rights as road-users, and to press for changes in traffic policies and road design that take into account their needs. There are far too many places, particularly at roundabouts and other busy junctions, and along fast, arterial roads, where it is impossible to cross without taking serious risk, or where the only (almost as unsafe!) alternative is a dark and unsavoury subway; and there are countless other examples where pedestrians are forced to walk in the road owing to steps, ramps, other projections, construction work or cars parked on the pavement. I challenge anyone who doubts the difficulties to take a walk from Ħamrun to the Marsa parcel office, preferably with a pushchair, dog, elderly relative or shopping trolley. Not only will they have to negotiate two very busy slip roads at a large roundabout, but be obliged at one point to climb over a metre-high wall!

Pedestrians, like all other road-users have a duty to act responsibly, but they, along with cyclists, are by far the most vulnerable to injury from the careless attitude many drivers take towards their legitimate presence on our streets. The authorities should take action to prevent accidents, not wait for them to happen.