Amazing Grace: How Malta Can Make It Easier To Fine Vehicles With Foreign Number Plates
Traffic enforcement officers turning a blind eye when fining vehicles with foreign licence plates has unfortunately become commonplace.
Many people have complained about this, but the fact is these vehicles often cause a logistical headache to enforcing officers. Unlike vehicles with Maltese license plates, the majority of vehicles with foreign number plates aren’t linked to a local database, making it hard for officers to identify their owners conducting patrols.
Speaking to Lovin Malta, police and community officers stated that a newly introduced fining system gives them east access to vehicle and owner details and also notifies them of any important security issues or other problems that raise concern or require immediate action.
This system has also greatly reduced the culture of fine-waiving as once data is entered within the devices, it cannot be reverted, replaced or even deleted. While giving practical advice rather than a fine is in line with the ethos community officers are meant to uphold, waiving a fine after it has been given defeats the purpose of actually enforcing in the first place.
Unfortunately, some owners of foreign registered vehicles are aware of the lack of easy database system sharing between authorities and enforcement bodies of different jurisdictions, and use this flaw for their own gain, breaking traffic rules safe in the knowledge that there will be no consequence.
While transport authorities confirmed that officers can request clamping and towing services, which will oblige the owner to pay a fine to retrieve their vehicle, this simply isn’t practical when faced with menial traffic contraventions.
This is an issue that can easily be addressed by obtaining ownership details of any vehicle that arrives in Malta once it does so. It would only require minor database amendments and, given that we are an island, it’s rather easy to track and obtain details of any vehicle that is registered or simply driven in Malta, be it local or foreign.
In fact, the true mystery is why these amendments haven’t been introduced yet…
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