Man seriously injured in Luqa crash

C Galea

Sep 8th 2010, 16:24

To me , who often drives along this road , Ms Rose Zammit has answered the question why people lose control along this road and we have had a few deaths in the past years . It is obviously the state of the road , due to the tarmac being lifted by the TREE ROOTS !
In some places there is a 6 inch rise on the side of the road !
A person , not used to driving on this road , like this one , going to the airport to pick his relative , is driving at a speed in the middle of the road , a truck hoots the horn to try to overtake and forces the driver to steer to the side , hitting a Tree root with the inside wheel at speed and the steering wheel breaks your fingers if you are not strong enough .
I KNOW because I NEARLY DIED TOO !!!
I thank GOD that I had a strong car which is now a total loss .
May the driver get well soon and the authorities LEVEL the ROAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GiovDeMartino

Sep 7th 2010, 18:15

Jien naf ghala jintilef il-kontroll! Jien qatt ma tliftu ghomri kollu nsuq!

Frances White

Sep 7th 2010, 12:11

And I forgot to say I also treat it as a one lane and the cars can hoot all they want, I do not move from the middle. Since that last tragedy I started this not wanting to be hit by another car and pushed into a treet. So if everyone does that and with careful driving accidents can be avoided.

Frances White

Sep 7th 2010, 12:07

If this road is a dual carriageway or not, why hasn't it got a white line in the middle of it!!! This is a one lane road and should be treated as one. My son-in-law came for a holiday and was driving down this road and he was hooted at to move over. He stayed were he was because he thought that it was a one lane road. How about that then. Only the Maltese know and treat it as a two lane road, foreigners don't!!!

mariopandolfino

Sep 7th 2010, 09:04

Speed kills bill boards should again be erected around Malta and Gozo.Something to reminds us all that speeding and non observance of traffic regulations can kill .

rose zammit

Sep 7th 2010, 03:00

I have driven along that road every day to go to work from Paola,If the trees are to stay then each lane should be narrowed to allow just a single car to drive along it . The danger already exists because the roots of the trees have lift the tarmac all along the side and it is even more dangerous when a truck or taxi racing down it, over takes and forces you literally into the trees, If there is no space to overtake then the danger is dramatically reduced .

f. agius

Sep 6th 2010, 22:35

It-triq tal-barrani li hi komda ghas-sewqan, hemm speed limit ta' 60 km. Il-Council of Europe Road li hi tant perikoluza, hi minghajr llimit ta' sewqan. Hafna isuqu bi 80km u iktar.

victor aquilina

Sep 6th 2010, 21:50

What a load of cobblers again. Oh dear the treee jumped out and hit me!!!! IT WAS THE DRIVER !!! For crying out loud how many times are you going to blame ANYTHING but the driver !!!! It was his fault and his alone ,Nothing to do with anything else. YOU drive a car ,there is a road, ok sometimes not a very good road, SO you drive acordingly, unless you are committing "Hari Kari" Dumbos !!!!!!

Joe M. Anastasi

Sep 6th 2010, 21:28

So it's not just young idiots overspeeding that have accidents.

How are the great unwashed that blare out about youngsters and speed everytime there's an accident going to answer for this one? That poor Maruti won't do much more that 60 mph downhill and with a favourable wind.

This poor fella was 60, and I'm 64 and I can't stand it when people blame youngsters and speed, every time there's an accident.

Joe Busuttil

Sep 6th 2010, 20:50

Many a time I have blamed irresponsible drivers and not the road for such accidents,but in this case I have to agree with the vast majority of your commentators,that is, that this road is really dangerous and also the surface is in a terrible state. Taxi drivers, in a hurry driving behind you and trying to overtake when you yourself are driving beyond the speed limit for this road ,certainly do not help.

Joseph Schembri

Sep 6th 2010, 20:17

Din it-triq trid tkun Lane u Lane kemm tghaddi karozza bl-ezatt u crash barrier QUDDIEM is-sigar u fin-nofs. Din wahda mill-aktar toroq perikoluzi.

Jason Coleiro

Sep 6th 2010, 18:11

1 that road is dangerous and those trees should be cut down and put somewhere else ,2 the road must be resurfaced, 3 no nonsense speed cameras but sleeping policemen every 100 meters so at least 3 or 4 are needed and 4 those specific type of cars are totally unsafe.I saw the accident happen and the condition of the vehicle.

Ronnie Gauci

Sep 6th 2010, 18:06

I love trees but in the right place, those trees pose a serious danger to all persons driving there. Cut them down and plant 10,000 trees somewhere else. They already made many victims.

Joseph N Attard

Sep 6th 2010, 17:33

Another of our stupidly constructed roads. Each lane is too narrow for two cars, two wide for one. Killer trees along some stretches. A foot-wide centre strip. No protective crash barriers. It is so obvious that the people who designed these roads had no qualifications whatsoever to do so. This is an arterial road leading to our Airport. Fix it today, not tomorrow. Do not tell us there are no funds available, use the cash that is going to be wasted on building the bridge to nowhere on the breakwater at the entrance to the Grand Harbour.

Mike Magri

Sep 6th 2010, 17:20

"..For some reason the Maruti crashed into the centre strip and then into a tree on the OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD..."

By ANY European Road Safety Standards, at least there MUST BE crash barriers in the centre strip, thus at least preventing even MORE Serious, (if not deadly too), incidents..!!
But then ofcourse... Unfortunately... This is `Malta` For You.. WHO CARES..!!!!

D Farrugia

Sep 6th 2010, 17:02

Let me try to answer in the manner they answered on the recent Mriehel bypass bridge issue. This particular stretch of road sees thousands upon thousands of cars every day passing through it. One known reported nasty crash (this one) in one year... I am sure that the authorities will decide that for one car over several thousands that go by without accident it is not worthed to do crash barriers & looking at the bridge decision in Mriehel this is what likely they will do. They might be "right" statistically but money and statistics unfortunately are more worth then human lives in these days it seems.

A Zammit

Sep 6th 2010, 16:59

Not only this road is dangerous because of the lack of barriers but for the fact that there is no place for two cars to pass side by side (two lane). Still, many of those who use this road are 'expected' to take a side. It takes nothing to hit a tree (as in this case) or end up in the opposite lane with cars coming in opposite direction. If you don't take a side, expect certain drivers (you know who) to switch on the bright and fog lamps with their horns going full blast. Accidents in this strech of road are very common. If I remember correctly there have been deaths too.

Joseph Calleja

Sep 6th 2010, 16:55

Please let us find out what the real cause of the crash was before we start making any comments. Anything could have caused the accident, it could be something more serious, like a heart attack. Let's wait for the police report and then make our comments because if you assume you know the rest. Hope the driver is OK.

Marius Zulgis

Sep 6th 2010, 16:49

Two men died on this road in 2009:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090708/local/two-die-in-luqa-traffic-accident

It is deadly when used as a two-lane road as those on the left are inches away from a row of trees. Crash barriers would help prevent such accidents.

May the gentleman injured today get well soon.

L Vella

Sep 6th 2010, 16:49

First of all I truly wish this man a speedy recovery. Without implying anything about this particular case of which I don't know any details, I'ld like to make my own observations about a road which I often use.
The trees on this road (or on any other road) are not the problem. The problem is that although the road on both sides is too narrow for overtaking, some irresponsible drivers still do, with the consequence that very often they literally side-wheel you into the trees.
Barriers would make it safer but this must be accompanied by another measure - widen the central strip and narrow the road (as was done at Attard near Mount Carmel Hospital) so that only one car can pass. Many expressed their concern in case an ambulance needed to get through but time has proved that this was a wise decision because we no longer hear of atrocious accidents on this part of the road.
Removing the central strip altogether would just be inviting more trouble as these 'cowboys' would find it just another wide and straight road on which to race their vehicles.

J Galea

Sep 6th 2010, 16:47

Malta Motor Madness continues... Inquiry??? You don't need an inquiry to tell you that that road should have a crash barrier in front of the tree. I sincerely hope the victim pulls through but the authorities' neglect of road safety goes on...

Vincent Galea

Sep 6th 2010, 16:46

All I can say is " Lord, have mercy on us ."

JOHN RIZZO

Sep 6th 2010, 16:37

I AGREE WITH CRASH BARRIERS,AND PERHAPS ALSO A COUPLE OF ROUNDABOUTS TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALWAYS IN A HURRY ON SUCH A SMALL ISLAND.

Daniel Gordon

Sep 6th 2010, 16:32

The same as it takes more lives lost in fireworks explosions to get the government to form a board of inquiry, so must more die on our roads before some action is taken.

I am not a political person and it matters not one bit who the political party is in charge. It is however, the job of the government of the day, to ensure its citizens are safe.
Having tree lined streets does nothing to enhance the safety of our roads.

Please transport ministry, DO something. Show us you care about our lives.

Take care all. I really hope this poor guy recovers.

joe vella

Sep 6th 2010, 16:32

the road may be dangerous and in need of crash barriers but judging by the extent of damage to the car as seen in the photo, it must not have been cruising at 30mph either!

Moira Heath

Sep 6th 2010, 16:27

Forget crash barriers, what we need are padded walls !

adrian agius

Sep 6th 2010, 16:26

just look at the state of the rear tyre and you will know why he lost control of the car. Crash barriers are need in that road !!!!

Joseph Casha

Sep 6th 2010, 16:19

Isn't it time that this road gets equipped with some crash barriers?????????????how many more people have to lose their lives here in order for someone to get off their lazy behind and do something about it?

S Micallef

Sep 6th 2010, 16:18

I cannot believe it...another incident in the Council of Europe Road! This road is really dangerous when considering that there are no crash barriers on both sides of the road. Unfortunately, fatal incidents occur frequently in the same road. One must consider the fact that the central strip is really dangerous. Both sides are too narrow for two lanes and one needs to be really careful when overtaking in this street not to hit the strip.

J.Degiorgio

Sep 6th 2010, 16:14

There is no place for such trees at the edge of the roads. Crash barriers should be constructed to protect vehicles from these death traps. But do we ever learn???