More than 60 people lost their driving licence through the penalty point system in the first six months of this year, as the transport watchdog is in discussions to lay down stricter penalties.
The number of revoked licences increased over the past five years, jumping from 45 in 2012 to 114 last year. Up until June of this year, 62 lost their licence – on average in line with last year’s total figure.
A Transport Ministry spokeswoman yesterday told this newspaper that Transport Malta was discussing various ways of how it could step up enforcement and stricter penalties, including the penalty point system.
Introduced in 2004, the system sees those who pass their driving test granted a probationary driving licence valid for three years.
Penalty points are handed down for each contravention committed during probation. These vary depending on the nature of the offence, such as three points for using a vehicle with defective brakes, tyres or steering to a maximum of 11 for manslaughter or culpable homicide. If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you can accrue from three to 11 penalty points.
When someone’s licence is revoked because they exceed the 12-point mark, they have to redo both the theory and the practical tests and their probation period starts from scratch. The current total number of valid probation licences is 15,196.
A suggestion that the current system that penalises reckless motorists should be extended to all drivers was floated last month by the insurance association and backed by the Education Minister on Sunday.
In August, Malta Insurance Association Director General Adrian Galea said that the system should not be limited to the first three years after obtaining a driving licence. Instead, the same set of rules should apply to anyone who breaks the rules, irrespective of their number of years behind the wheel.
Such a point system would also allow insurance companies to better differentiate between drivers who regularly broke the law and those who had a clean record.
Meanwhile, Minister Evarist Bartolo acknowledged the need for “more serious” enforcement in a post on Facebook: “Without serious enforcement and the introduction of a point system for all drivers that can lead to the revocation of driving licences for those who break the rules and do not change their ways, bad driving habits causing traffic accidents will not stop.”
The transport watchdog is in discussions to lay down stricter penalties. Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi