As the number of fatal road accidents rises, Sarah Carabott asked the experts about the causes and the ways that driving could be made safer.

Three ingredients for safer roads: enforcement, fines, points system

Malta should step up enforcement, increase traffic fines and introduce a point system that would force drivers into retaking their driving test, according to the executive manager of the Malta Road Safety Council, Pierre Vella.

“Drivers have become more reckless and less respectful of other road users,” he told this newspaper.

The council, which he manages, is made up of a team of “hands-on people” hailing from Mater Dei’s Casualty Department, the Traffic Police Section, the Education Department, driving schools, the Commission for the Rights of People with a Disability, the Blood Donation unit and cyclists and motorsports representatives among others.

For these people, road dangers and accidents are a daily reality.

While the council is not a regulator, it consults with this team of people and the public and puts forward its concerns to Transport Malta. While raising awareness about road safety among the public, it acts as a bridge between road users and the transport watchdog.

Mobile phones, reckless driving and the lack of adherence to traffic rules, such as running red lights and driving down one-way roads, is leading to an increase in accidents, Mr Vella says.

The council is recommending, among others, the updating of some local laws so that, just like in the UK, police officers would be able to check recent activity on drivers’ mobile phones when they arrive at the scene of an accident, said Mr Vella.

Another measure that could help curb illegal and dangerous practices is replacing the current speed cameras with smaller, average-speed ones that would calculate vehicle speed along a stretch of road.

Asked whether the state of some roads could also have a bearing on the increased number of accidents, Mr Vella said he did not have the competence to comment on road infrastructure. It was up to the drivers to take into consideration the state of the road and the speed they travelled at, he said.

“We need more discipline on the roads. There are times when drivers even ignore warning signs about ongoing roadworks at night. They end up face to face with the workers, and of course, no way out.”

So what would make driving safer?

Mr Vella believes that raising the fines again would act as a deterrent, as would a points system.

As has been suggested by some insurance companies, through this system, the accumulated penalties would be transcribed into a number of points and drivers would have to retake the driving test once they reach a set maximum.

“We also have to step up enforcement. In the past we used to encounter more roadblocks checking on the condition of drivers than we do nowadays.

“But stepping up enforcement does not necessarily mean the deployment of more people on the roads. It could also be done with new technology, including CCTV cameras.”

It seems that there has been an increase in erratic driving patterns

The council has in the meantime been pushing for the creation of an authority that investigates accidents so that it may start to understand what is leading to the accidents and where. The Transport Minister has already announced that this agency will be set up by next year and has in the meantime embarked on a road repair restructuring project.

“As a council we would like to know whether the people involved in the incident were on the phone or felt unwell, or whether it had something to do with the road infrastructure or some mechanical failure.”

Mr Vella noted that apart from loss of life, injuries, including permanent ones, translated into an “alarming cost” for the health sector.

Research has shown that drink-driving accidents happen throughout the year as the drinking cycle is no longer seasonal.

The council has therefore embarked on an awareness campaign that stretches throughout the year, with its social media videos being watched by tens of thousands of people.

“I’m urging people to join our bandwagon and help us make the roads safer. We are open to suggestions, which we then propose to the authorities.

“In the meantime, before you start driving, throw your mobile phone in the glove department, fasten everyone’s seatbelts and avoid smoking in the car.”

With European Day Without a Road Death just around the corner, log onto https://projectedward.eu/ before Thursday to make a pledge and help make European roads safer.

Q & A with Traffic Branch Inspector Pierguido Saliba

Is it just perception or is there really more dangerous driving, increased lack of caution and more accidents involving motorbikes?

Although there is no recent official study (for Malta) that establishes a rise in adverse driving trends, it seems there has been an increase in erratic driving patterns.

This increase seems to be attributable to two main factors: a rise in the number of vehicles and licensed drivers on the roads, and an increase in the number of foreign nationals driving on Maltese roads.

A part of the second problem can be attributed to a different style of driving – right as opposed to left hand driving.

It is also worth noting that there has been an increase in the occurrence of both foreign nationals and residents who drive without a licence.

Egoism and failure to empathise with others are the main contributors to poor safety ratings on the roads

Meanwhile, a lower perception of the deterrent effect of the courts has been noted.

With regard to motorcycle accidents, the number is nominally on the rise. But when one considers the exponential increase in the use of motorcycles, the ratio of incidents to motorcycles is not statistically significant.

However, it is people, and not numbers, who are driving motorcycles. Every accident is one too many. It is important to stress that every person injured is either someone’s parent, sibling or child.

Following an accident, can the police check the driver’s mobile phone (on site) for any recent calls or messages (as is done in the UK)?

The police in Malta can search a person’s property, including their phone, without a warrant, but this scenario must include the presence of a reasonable suspicion, not a subjective one or a fishing expedition, as well as other important elements found in the Criminal Code. Hence, this must be viewed as the exception not the rule. Police forces around the world are not only restricted by the rules of local laws but also of agreed treaties in international law, such as human rights laws.

Can footage, caught on dashcams or on mobile phones by third party individuals, be used as evidence in court?

The rules of evidence in Malta state that not only first-hand accounts of occurrences are admissible but also documents, and this includes photographs and audio or audio visual recordings. There are specific rules on how documentary evidence is to be presented in court in order to be admissible. These requirements include being presented under oath, specifically as to their date, time and place of creation, as well as of their authenticity, completeness and accuracy.

From your experience, how can we increase safety on the roads?

There is a lot of research on road safety but in my humble opinion there are a few rules of thumb.

First, one has to keep abreast with the Highway Code.  It is important to respect all road users including pedestrians and drivers of non-motorised vehicles.  One aspect which is commonly overlooked by many drivers is driving etiquette, such as having patience in heavy traffic.

Road safety is not something that the government or the police have to work on alone but a concerted effort needs to be made by all road users, irrespective of the mode of transport.

Egoism and failure to empathise with others are the main contributors to poor safety ratings on the roads. Road regulations should not be seen as a basis for traffic fines but as guidelines for road safety.

The government, transport authorities around the globe, the EU, NGOs and each and every one of us contributes to road safety. If everyone did their part we could achieve the target of safer roads as well as ‘target zero’,  that is, zero road fatalities on the European roads.

	2012	2013	2014	2014	2016	2017 (until July)
Fatal	11	18	11	11	23	10
Grievous	297	265	291	291	293	180
Insignificant	80	37	76	76	85	68
Not injured	4,600	4,223	4,830	4,830	5,002	3,280
Slight	1,213	1,264	1,418	1,418	1,452	888
TOTAL	6,201	5,807	6,626	6,626	6,855	4,426

Traffic accidents by type of injury

The wide circle of suffering

Road fatalities more than doubled last year and the number of fatal traffic accidents continued to be high until July of this year, police data show.

A total of 23 people died as a result of a traffic accident in 2016, up substantially from previous years.

This year up to July, 10 fatalities had already been registered, far higher than the number covering January to July of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, when four, nine, seven and eight fatalities were recorded respectively.

Between January and July of last year the roads had already claimed 13 deaths.

The same data also show a gradual increase in the total number of people involved in road accidents.

But the accidents have repercussions well beyond this data.

“For each road traffic injury death, there are dozens of survivors who are left with short-term or permanent disabilities that may result in continuing restrictions on their physical functioning, psychosocial consequences or a reduced quality of life,” said Jonathan Joslin, consultant emergency physician at the Emergency Department.

Dr Joslin is summoned to traffic accident sites according to specific criteria (this year he has been called out 96 times so far). He noted that any simple fracture or injury required rehabilitation through a possible operation often followed by months of physiotherapy in a bid to regain functionality of the joints and limb movement.

Meanwhile, many serious road traffic accidents requiring intensive therapy might need months of hospitalisation followed by months of rehabilitation.

In describing victims, one should not only consider the direct injured victims but also the immediate family and friends

Asked about the psychological effects on the surviving family and friends, Dr Joslin believes that more can be done to offset the psychological consequences of the death or disability of victims.

“In describing victims, one should not only consider the direct injured victims but also the immediate family and friends who are sent home often without any psychological backup or people to contact for psychological assistance and follow-up.

“Much still needs to be invested both in psychological counselling personnel and staff training,” he said, adding that there needs to be a holistic approach that includes an extended team to deal with all aspects of care, from point of impact to final rehabilitation.

The Fédération Européenne des Victimes de la Route conducted a comprehensive study in Europe of the physical, psychological and material damage suffered by victims and their families after road crashes.

The results showed that 90 per cent of the families of those killed and 85 per cent of the families of those disabled reported a significant permanent decline in their quality of life.

Most of the victims or their immediate families suffered from headaches, sleeping problems, disturbing nightmares and general health problems. Three years after the incident, these complaints had not significantly decreased.

So how can we increase safety on the roads?

“Road traffic injuries can be prevented. Governments need to act and address road safety in a holistic manner. This requires involvement from multiple sectors, such as transport, police, health and education, with an action plan that addresses the safety of roads, vehicles and road users,” he said.

Effective interventions, Dr Joslin added, included designing safer infrastructure and incorporating road safety features into land-use and transport planning, improving vehicles’ safety features, improving post-crash care for victims, setting and enforcing laws related to key risks, and raising public awareness.

“However, I would personally place full responsibility on anybody getting in behind the steering wheel and emphasise that they should be made aware that responsibility for their actions and reckless driving through excessive alcohol, drug abuse, careless use of mobile phones or just plain tiredness would be addressed seriously and effectively by the authorities,” he said, noting that enforcement remained a major solution to this national problem.

Accidents put pressure on blood supply

The Blood Donation Unit appeals for prudence while driving, particularly if alcohol is consumed, to reduce the number of incidents and pressure on the blood supply.

The appeal “don’t drink and drive” is relevant all year round, not just during Christmas time.

The centre, just outside St Luke’s Hospital in Gwardamangia, is open daily from 8am to 6pm. Donors should take their identity card, driving licence or passport with them.