ROTA Call For Immediate Action As Road Fatalities Reach Alarming High

Maltese NGO Rota has called for immediate action as recently road fatalities and incidents has reached an alarming high.

In a detailed statement, ROTA criticised Malta’s current road infrastructure, arguing that it continues to ignore basic safety principles outlined in internationally recognised guidelines such as the CROW manual.

The group highlighted roads like the Coast Road and Triq tal-Balal as unsafe by design, particularly for vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

In areas like tal-Balal, they noted, children are left waiting for buses on narrow pavements next to speeding traffic, a situation described as “unacceptable” and flagged to authorities as far back as 2020.

ROTA is also calling for enforcement that reflects the severity of the crisis.

Citing the lack of proper equipment, just 18 breathalysers across the Malta Police Force, they stressed that road safety cannot be addressed through rhetoric alone.

Their demands include the rollout of average speed cameras, implementation of 30km/h zones in urban areas, and regular sobriety checks.

The group also questioned the silence of the Road Safety Council, urging it to publicly declare its strategy.

Furthermore, ROTA pushed for legal reforms, including stricter penalties for reckless drivers and the adoption of presumed liability in collisions involving vulnerable road users.

“Each road death is a public health failure and a preventable tragedy,” ROTA concluded. “Enough is enough.”

#MaltaDaily