The need for speed: What makes people seek the thrill of driving fast?

Last week, Malta woke up to another road fatality, as 24-year-old Christ Gatt from Mtarfa was identified as the fourth road death of 2025.

His tragic death has sparked ongoing debate about road safety in Malta and whether authorities are doing enough to prevent fatal traffic accidents. Gatt’s death followed shortly after Alejandro Brincat’s fatal accident in Triq l-Mdina, Attard.

Footage circulating in private chat groups showed Brincat driving at high speed before losing control of his vehicle. Meanwhile, shortly after Gatt’s fatal accident made headlines, reports emerged claiming he had been racing others before crashing into a road barrier.

But what drives people, particularly young men, to seek the thrill of driving fast? Psychologist Roberta Farrugia Debono believes it is a mix of biological, psychological, and societal factors.

“When we look at these kinds of accidents, we ask ourselves: How did they not think this could happen? It’s exactly that. It’s a behaviour we see across all ages, from adolescents to adults. But due to the brain’s development, that kind of thinking is amplified in young people,” she explained.

She elaborated that, at adolescence, the prefrontal cortex in humans is still developing. One of the last parts of the brain to mature, the prefrontal cortex is considered the “personality centre” and is the area responsible for making people uniquely human. It is where people process moment-to-moment input from their surroundings, compare it to past experiences, and react accordingly.

At the same time, Farrugia Debono noted that the brain’s limbic system, responsible for emotions, pleasure, and thrill-seeking, is working on overdrive in adolescents.

However, the psychologist explained that the factors involved are not only biological and psychological but also societal.

“At that age, you’re also trying to define who you are, and peer pressure from those around you influences you,” she said. “Self-esteem plays a big part in this.”

She added that such behaviour is more prevalent in men due to the male brain’s need for higher doses of dopamine and the added levels of testosterone.

When you group all these influences together under the societal expectations of being “a man”, it’s no surprise that some seek out these activities, she explained.

“When you put this cocktail of emotions behind a steering wheel, winning a street race makes you feel like a bigger man,” Farrugia Debono said.

She also pointed out that this behaviour has been observed since the beginning of time.

“It’s been like this for ages. You only need to look at the ġostra and horse racing – that’s the spirit behind these sports,” she said. “What’s different now is that instead of racing horses, people are racing cars. And when it goes wrong, it can go very wrong.”

Limiting engine size: A possible solution?

Another pattern emerging in the majority of fatal accidents involving young people is the use of high-powered performance vehicles. Christ Gatt was driving a BMW 1 Series, while Alejandro Brincat was driving a Mercedes saloon.

MaltaToday also reached out to the Malta Insurance Association to understand whether limiting engine sizes could help prevent fatal accidents.

“Government could consider what has been done in other countries, such as Portugal, where new drivers (in their first three years) must drive vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio below 0.08 kW/kg, or Italy, where drivers under 21, or those holding a newly issued B licence, cannot drive cars with engine power exceeding 70 kW (95 hp) or a power-to-weight ratio exceeding 55 kW per ton,” Adrian J. Galea, Director General of the association said.

He explained that insurers have raised concerns over car engines being modified, tweaked, or even replaced to increase a vehicle’s power and performance. “This is often carried out by enthusiasts, rather than professionals, and the vehicle is likely not designed to handle the additional weight and speed; for example, the braking system may not be adequate.”

He also stated that it is unclear whether the vehicle roadworthiness test is sufficient to identify these potential risks and ensure the modified vehicle meets the required safety standards, suggesting that additional measures may be necessary.

“While policyholders are legally required to disclose if a vehicle has been modified in any way, and failure to do so renders the cover provided by the policy invalid, insurers report that cases of non-disclosure of such modifications are very common,” Galea said.

Asked whether insurance premiums reflect the risks associated with higher engine sizes, he confirmed that engine power is indeed one of the principal factors used by motor insurers when setting rates, whether based on engine size (cubic capacity), output in kW, or brake horsepower (BHP).

“There is strong statistical evidence that the higher the speed at which a vehicle is driven, the higher the likelihood it will be involved in an accident. Therefore, it is natural that the more powerful the car, the higher the premium charged. Also, insurers often restrict coverage for drivers below a certain age for high-powered vehicles like sports cars,” he said. “However, this doesn’t mean that owners of these vehicles don’t allow young drivers to drive them, even knowing that the insurance policy excludes them. Proper and visible enforcement on our roads would create a deterrent against this abuse.”

Galea was also asked whether the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), which offer fast acceleration despite not having a traditional engine size, has changed the way the industry assesses risk.

“Motor insurers are adapting their rating systems and moving away from using engine size (cubic capacity) as a main factor for assessing vehicle risk. More effective and precise methods are now used in the UK and many EU countries, where vehicles are classified according to the level of risk they present (known as Car Insurance Groups in the UK). These classifications take into account all the factors relating to the vehicle, including its power and speed,” he said.

Asked whether the government is considering limiting engine sizes to prevent fatal accidents, a transport ministry spokesperson said it may be an option, “but on its own, it is definitely not the solution.”

“Intervention is needed based on the limited knowledge among drivers about the risks associated with motor vehicles with large engines. To date, the registration tax on large engine internal combustion engine (ICE) motor vehicles is already relatively high compared to smaller ones, limiting the accessibility of such vehicles,” the spokesperson said.

They also insisted that various factors affect fatalities, including vehicle size, weight, and overall safety features.

“Government has provided incentives for people to buy newer cars and scrap older ones, as these come with enhanced safety features such as mandatory sign-reading software. New cars, both ICE and EVs, have new technology-based safety features in line with relevant standards, which contribute to increased safety on our roads. However, education is key to ensure that these features are used properly,” they concluded.