Insurance companies, cyclists, taxi drivers and the Opposition have welcomed a Bill proposing stricter alcohol limits for motorists and extending the points system across the board to make roads safer.

Details of these amendments to the Traffic Regulations Ordnance were given last Wednesday in Parliament by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici during the Second Reading Stage of this Bill. The Opposition said that it will support amendments as they focused on increased penalties for drink driving and unlicenced vehicles.

Apart from increasing fines on a range of offences like driving without a valid licence or with false registration plates, the Bill is proposing a complete ban on alcohol consumption for drivers of passenger vehicles, including taxis, buses and coaches. Moreover, local wardens will be empowered to administer breathalyser tests and summon the police in case a motorists fails.

The points system will apply to all drivers. The accumulation of 12 points in a year will lead to a licence suspension.

This newspaper yesterday sought the reaction of major stakeholders, including the Malta Insurance Association.

“As an active member of the Road Safety Council, the MIA is committed to improving safety on our roads, and the Association has already taken practical steps, through its donation of breathalyser kits to the police, and will continue to introduce practical measures towards this objective,” MIA director general Adrian Galea told this newspaper. However, he called for further measures in other traffic regulation areas, saying this Bill was just the beginning to improve road safety.

Mr Galea remarked that greater public awareness to plan ahead and use alternative means of transport before consuming alcohol was just one aspect. Moreover, breathalyser tests should become mandatory in serious traffic accidents, especially those which result in injuries.

Insurance companies are also urging stricter enforcement all year round and not just during the festive season, especially with repeat offenders, and better cooperation with foreign authorities in the exchange of information on offences committed by foreign drivers.

The MIA is also calling for harsher penalties, including longer disqualification and jail terms for motorists who defy court orders and are caught behind the wheel despite having their licence suspended for previous offences.

Furthermore, Mr Galea is suggesting better training for traffic accident investigators. “If it is illegal to use a mobile phone, as much as driving under the influence of alcohol is, then enforcement officers need to have the necessary expertise, skill and resources to be in a position to determine whether drivers were using their mobile phone before the accident took place,” he said.

As for the penalty points system, the MIA supports the possibility of a reduction for cases in which the offender undergoes training but is suggesting testing their abilities at the end of the course to ensure that their driving skills have actually improved.

The proposed changes also received the thumbs up from cyclists, who have long been advocating for harsher penalties in the wake of a number of incidents, most notably the tragic death of Cliff Micallef in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in 2009. However, James Wightman from the Bicycle Advocacy Group questioned the proposal to have different alcohol limits for different categories of drivers. He said that a uniform ceiling would make it much easier in terms of enforcement. In this respect, he remarked that a complete ban across the board should be considered, as is the case in Slovakia.

Mr Wightman also welcomed the extension of the points system as long as the courts adopt a strict approach. “Unfortunately, in the UK, there have been cases where drivers with up to 65 points were given another chance,” he said.

Though the Bill proposes a downward revision on alcohol limits, it discriminates between certain categories. While it would be perfectly legal for a private citizen to drive their car after consuming up to a single bottle of beer, in the case of a bus or a taxi driver, it would be illegal, as for such drivers, there would be a complete ban.

Nevertheless, the Malta Taxi Licence Association is backing the proposal. “We take our job very seriously, and an alcohol ban on our members makes no difference, as we are already committed to follow that strict rule,” it said.

The main proposals

Missing licence or false plates

Motorists caught driving a vehicle without a driving licence shall be liable to a fine of €1,200 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, up from €232.94 or three months imprisonment.

Use of false registration plates may lead to a fine not exceeding €1,200, up from €1,164.69.

Drink-driving and drugs

Breathalyser testing shall also be carried out by local wardens, but if a driver fails, the police must be alerted and take charge of the case.

The maximum fine for a first-time conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs shall increase from €1,200 to €1,800. In case of a prison term, the maximum will increase from three to six months.

In case of a second or subsequent conviction, the maximum fine shall increase from €2,329.37 to €3,000, while the maximum jail term shall increase from six months to a year.

Furthermore, the court may also impose a probation order, put the person on a rehabilitation programme or opt for community work.

Stricter alcohol limits are being introduced for motorists driving private vehicles, roughly equivalent to a bottle of beer, while the limit for commercial vehicle drivers and those in possession of a probationary driving licence is even lower.

A zero limit will be imposed on bus drivers and any other persons driving passenger vehicles, meaning alcohol consumption will be banned even in very small amounts.

Points system

The disciplinary points system will be extended to all drivers, and the accumulation of 12 points in a year will lead to a licence suspension. Points will be automatically revoked 12 months after their issuance. Not all offences will result in disciplinary points.

Drivers whose licence has been suspended for the first time can apply to lift the suspension if they follow a refresher course, but successive suspensions will be harder to lift. The fourth suspension onwards can only be lifted by a court.

The penalty points system shall apply to the driver and not the owner of the vehicle.