Insurers demand roadside testing as drug-driving becomes ‘a menace’

Drug-driving has become a menace on Malta's roads and the police should introduce roadside drug testing without delay, like they do for drink driving, the Insurance Association Malta said.

In a statement it praised the police for mounting 170 road checks, inspecting 4,700 vehicles, and issuing more than 400 fines during the Christmas period.

But it insisted that such measures should not be limited to the festive season. 

“The risks associated with drink and drug-driving are not confined to the holiday season. Road safety should never be treated as a seasonal concern; it must remain a priority every single day,” the association stressed in a statement.  

"The fact that no serious traffic accidents were reported during this festive season was a testament to the effectiveness of these measures, it said. 

“While we wholeheartedly support these actions, we must also express our disappointment that similar roadside checks and initiatives are not conducted consistently throughout the year — drivers choosing to endanger their lives and those of innocent road users should face robust and unrelenting deterrence year-round,” it said. 

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As reported by the Times of Malta on 6th January 2025