Over the weekend, police conducted road checks across various locations, and issued over 60 speeding tickets. In addition, over 30 roadblocks were conducted, stopping over 800 cars and issuing numerous traffic violation citations.
Since January 1st, there have been 500 police checkpoints, where police have stopped thousands of vehicles and issued fines for offences such as drink-driving, mobile phone usage while driving, driving without a valid license, and failure to wear a seatbelt. More than 750 speeding fines alone have been issued in six weeks, with drivers caught driving 113-150 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 60-80 km/h.
The authorities promised to carry on with enforcement, urging motorists to comply with road traffic rules for their own and other people’s safety.
Insurance Association: ‘Malta’s roads are not race tracks’
The Insurance Association Malta (IAM) supported the action of the police, stating that the high number of speeding fines indicates a reckless disregard towards road rules. The association also noted four road fatalities this year, pointing out that speed is a major factor in serious accidents.
“Association hopes action will bring back order to our roads. As much as speeding is a problem, distraction – most particularly use of mobiles while driving – is also a very significant threat,” IAM stated.
The association, having just met with the Police Commissioner, emphasised that enforcement of road safety needs to be consistent in order to be effective. “Issuing fines and penalty points is not sufficient; we need to create a culture of respect. Our roads are not the motorway equivalent of race tracks, and all road users must take responsibility for safety,” IAM said, urging authorities to maintain strict enforcement and appealing to road users to drive carefully.
News Editor
Journalist and Newscaster
Leave a Reply