Woman hit by car in Paola

Matthew Tanti

Nov 14th 2011, 17:08

hope you get well soon

Charles Sammut

Nov 13th 2011, 13:16

Another "black spot"??

G G Debono

Nov 13th 2011, 11:29

It is really sickening to see so many commentators (obviously motorists) blaming the pedestrian when it is they who are to blame.

It takes SPEED to KILL a pedestrian so dead people on the street usually means that the car was being driven at an excessive speed for the conditions.

Speed kills for two reasons

1 ) the pedestrian (or other road user ) can misjudge the (excessive) speed of an oncoming car – I recall the case of a cyclist who was hit by a car as he came out of a side road. The stupid magistrate (or whoever) decided it was the cyclist’s fault even though the car left a 93 –foot skid mark !!!

2 ) SPEED is definitely THE factor in residential areas. The proposal is now for a 30kph limit because, simply put: traffic accident casualties AND DEATHS fall dramatically with lower speed limits

The evidence of increased pedestrian safety with an urban 30 kph limit is strong. Let’s repeat yet again (and I quote from a respected scientific sources) - - - The chance of a pedestrian being killed if struck by a car is 45% if the car is travelling at 50kph but only 5% at 30 kph. (tragically speed was also responsible for the terrible accident on the M5 in the UK – and people are arguing against raising the motorway limit to 80 mph - but that's another story.

Research showed that introduction of 30kph zones in built-up areas reduced the incidence of traffic accidents by 60% and cut child pedestrian and child cyclist accidents by 67%, while overall vehicle speeds fell by an average of 14.9 kph. There was no evidence that accidents increased on surrounding roads.

Research by local councils produces similar results as the main study. Some councils saw traffic accident casualties drop by a significant 40% when the 30 kph limit was introduced in a residential area.

Now: one witness said that “ The woman just flew up about 1 floor high” - can that happen of a car was being driven at an (appropriately) slow speed. ??????

All the bleating and SH*** from motorists about “negligent pedestrians” must stop. It is cars that kill pedestrians and not the other round so it is dependent on the driver to drive carefully.

I drive a car and I walk a lot - so I can see both sides of the story and it is clearly car drivers who are at fault.

John Dee

Nov 13th 2011, 11:19

From the often uncaring and "humorous" comments these incidents attract, it seems that life, and the quality thereof, is becoming cheap here in Malta. If this is not the case, why is it that drastic steps are not being taken by the authorities to clamp down on lawbreakers, thoughtless and downright dangerous drivers, illegal parking and jaywalking pedestrians?
Why are the courts doling out laughable sentences to drivers who maim innocents and openly flout the law, yet so obviously throw the book at "foreign" offenders"?
Something, somewhere, is very wrong here at an extremely basic level!
I wish the lady well with her recovery.

Julian Agius

Nov 13th 2011, 08:51

Media in Malta is only there to teach one how to vote not how to live !!!!!WHO cares ?
Power & money ..............is the game.............
J.agius

Noel Mifsud

Nov 13th 2011, 08:06

We are getting worse driver and worse pedestrians for sure. Too much cars on the roads, and these delivery vans mostly the park without any decency, Not all to blame for sure. Many pavements in main roads are taken by small publicity boards, lor not in a good state so many people cannot use the pavements. Please do all try to be more polite. Thx

Ramon Casha

Nov 13th 2011, 06:20

Drivers should keep in mind that if our roads are in a bad state under normal conditions, they become worse when it rains.

riccardo borg

Nov 13th 2011, 06:14

Driving in Benghazi, back in 1958, under Idris, the Libyan next to me warned me to be careful as the locals had a bad habit of pushing old infirm men in front of a moving vehicle to get him hurt or killed. Apparantly, a sum of one thousand pounds sterling was demanded from the driver of the vehicle, or else.

While reversing out of a garage, here at home, or coming to a stop at an intersection, I have been noting that the majority of people have now a very common tendency to ignore the vehicle. They bow their head and continue on their way in spite of the approaching danger to life and limb. Pedestrians, even if they are drivers themselves, do not fear getting hurt anymore and seem as if they are throwing a challenge and asking to be hurt. What is this that is happening? Are these people receiving piles of money from the Insurance for their minor hurts? Surely, it cannot be all ignorance?

G. Azzopardi

Nov 13th 2011, 01:20

I was on the scene when this woman was hit. The woman just flew up about 1 floor high. When i went to help her she was in bleeding heavily from her head. At that time a person (think it was a nurse called the ambulance straight away...

Zagroma Savrene

Nov 12th 2011, 23:37

Woah Woah ease up on the pedal fellas, third accident in a single weekend already! (And to the pedestrians, look twice before crossing the road, I have seen so many people blindly crossing the street when I'm driving at a certain speed...don't think you can outrun a car, you can't, luckily I'm smart enough to anticipate what you're going to do so I slow down a little....but not everyone is as smart as me so be careful!!)

John F. Galea

Nov 12th 2011, 21:53

Above comment agreed to. An educational road saftey programme on all media and at schools to be introduced without any further delay.

Reuben Abela

Nov 12th 2011, 21:52

without blaming anyone in this incident i just would like to say that as a driver i frequently meet negligent pedestrians

G G Debono

Nov 12th 2011, 21:05

...... accident No 3 but heck, it's the weekend ......................

Joseph N. Attard

Nov 12th 2011, 20:17

It serves no purpose to start blaming either the motorists or the pedestrians, as happens after every road accident. What is obvious is that both categories need a lot of safety education. Please, please, will the authorities ever listen, and initiate such educational programmes on all media without further delay? How many more people must die or remain maimed for life before the message gets through to those responsible?