News • 13 July 2003

12 points to lose a driving licence

Kurt Sansone

Commonly seen as the modern-day coming-of-age rite, obtaining a driving licence upon reaching 18 will soon carry with it more responsibility as drivers will be issued with a temporary three year licence that can be withdrawn.

Transport minister Censu Galea hopes that the new system coupled with more rigorous training and testing procedures would enable new drivers to "drive correctly, safely, legally and with due care and consideration to other road users."

The new system, which will come into force by the end of 2003, will see new drivers subjected to a penalty point system for offences committed. Talking to MaltaToday, Galea explained that each new driver would be issued a temporary three-year licence that could be withdrawn if during the three years the driver accumulates more than 12 penalty points.

A driver that loses the licence would have to undergo the full driving test all over again to be awarded another one. Penalty points will be awarded according to the seriousness of the offence and may vary from three to 11 points on each occasion.

If drivers on probation have not exceeded 12 points by the end of the three-year period, a full licence valid for 10 years will be issued upon application. The minister insists that the new system will only apply to new drivers.

A similar penalty point system introduced in Italy two weeks ago does not seem to have curbed the horrific traffic accidents witnessed on the highways mostly during the weekend.

The first Sunday after the introduction of the point system, which is applicable to all drivers, Italians saw an increase in the number of road fatalities.

However, the initial setback in Italy is hardly the right gauge to see whether the point system is an effective tool to curb irresponsible driving.

Longer-term surveillance could prove that drivers would be more willing to drive safely to avoid losing their right to drive. And young Maltese drivers obtaining their much-coveted driving licence next year may well be no different from their Italian counterparts.