Much has been made lately in the comment section regarding cycling safety and road conditions.

Having been a consultant with metropolitan councils highways departments in the UK and having been living and working in Malta for over a year now, I am astonished and frankly horrified at the widespread and seemingly unregulated use of mobile phones, both for calling and texting, by motorists while driving. This dangerous practice includes Arriva and minibus drivers who are responsible for passenger and children’s safety. Heavy goods and coach drivers do it too.

The habit is dangerous to the extreme on an already overcrowded and sparsely policed road system.

Bus, minibus and taxi drivers should face an automatic ban and immediate dismissal or confiscation of licence. Some proper enforcement action with substantial fines should be put in place as a matter of urgency to curb this unnecessary and dangerous habit.

Insurance cover should ban use of phones while driving and claims should not be paid if use of a mobile phone can be proved as the cause of an accident.