Government to set up safety investigations commission to probe road accidents

After a year of record road fatalities, the government will set up a transport safety investigations commission as part of a drive to improve road safety.

Government has published a White Paper for public consultation on the proposed commission as it unveils its action plan to tackle road safety issues.

Safety investigations expert Kevin Ghirxi said the commission will be set up permanently and will act independently. It will be tasked with safety investigations of air, maritime and road accidents.

This will be the first time that a dedicated body will have access to road accident data, making it possible to understand the causes of car crashes. Currently, fatal road accidents are the subject of magisterial inquiries but the data collected is kept hidden and never aggregated.

The commission is one proposal in a series of initiatives government will undertake starting from next year to improve safety on the roads.

Motorists can also expect higher penalties and fines for traffic and road infringements, while Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia has also promised better enforcement.

The action plan also includes long-running educational and information campaigns, mproved security in road construction projects and a revision of the road safety strategy that will run through 2030.

Farrugia said the existing Road Safety Council, which acts as a consultant to the government, will be strengthened by setting it up at law.

The minister added that a change in culture should be fostered from a young age and his ministry and entities falling under its remit will seek closer cooperation with educational institutions.

“Everyone should have a role and responsibility to achieve these aims, including the government, authorities, drivers, and pedestrians. Together we all need to ensure that our roads are safe. For me, victims of road accidents are not simply numbers, but persons with families behind them,” Farrugia said.

Transport Malta CEO Jeffrey Curmi explained that while the road safety strategy expires at the end of 2024, the authority has already started working on a new strategy until 2030. “Work has already started so that, apart from continuing to implement measures that are still applicable from the current strategy, additional measures are also implemented, and the path for a new strategy is paved. An example of this is a process that has already started, enabling us to collect useful information that helps strengthen the road safety strategy,” Curmi said.

He emphasised the need for more education at every level for everyone who uses the road and more effective and efficient enforcement.

 Infrastructure Malta CEO Ivan Falzon said: “Safety should not be a standalone word; it’s a culture. We need a collective effort to ensure safety features in all that we design and do.” 

The public consultation on the White Paper on the Transport Safety Investigations Commission will be open until 15 February 2023. Feedback is to be sent to [email protected]