The recent spike of fatalities and injuries arising from road incidents, which this year is already above the average recorded in recent years, is a matter of serious concern, the Malta Insurance Association said on Wednesday.
“This concern is exacerbated further when one considers that none of the electoral manifestos of the two main parties refer to road safety. We have to ask, does road safety stand any chance of being given the importance it deserves?”
Victims should not be just a statistic, it said. They leave behind a tragic loss to their families and loved ones which cannot be replaced with any financial compensation that insurance may provide. Our priority should remain prevention, we need to save lives and to avoid permanent disabilities that result from road accidents.
“As with every recipe, success can only be achieved if good ingredients are thrown into the pot. We need strong and effective enforcement where policing authorities clamp down on abuse for instance the use of mobile phones which distract drivers, over-speeding, drink and drug driving and general non-observance of traffic rules, using also random checks and technology. We need proper investigation of the causes of accidents to properly identify them and thus be able to focus prevention efforts better. Driver education is important, so are regular media campaigns, but these are from being enough.”
The MIA said that, above all, we need to rid ourselves of this fragmentation we have in responsibilities for all that relates to road safety. “The time is ripe for a serious consideration of the setting up of a singular road safety authority. We are in the midst of an election campaign where the political parties resort to promise everything under the sun. Can we see some pledges to tackle road safety with the investment in equipment and training to help the enforcement authorities to effectively apply the rules? Can we have a pledge to review and update the law so that drink and drug driving are tackled with the seriousness they deserve? All we are asking for is to Give Road Safety a Chance!”