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Half Of All Drivers Stopped On Maltese Roads This Year Were Under Influence Of Alcohol

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Half of all drivers stopped by police during inspections in the first ten months of the year were under the influence of alcohol, the inspector in charge of the traffic section has confirmed. 

During an interview with TVM about the risk of driving under the influence, Inspector Nicholas Vella said “about 50% of people who were stopped to check if they were driving under the influence of alcohol tested positive, and only 25% were found not driving under the influence of alcohol”.

He didn’t clarify the state of play with regards to the other 25%.

Vella urged people not to drink and drive, warning that police will increase their inspections during the festive period.

“Alcohol causes a person to change his reactions, where his reflexes are uncoordinated or hindered from driving,” he said.

“A drunk person at the wheel could end up doing things that he usually wouldn’t do.”
LESA’s chief executive officer Svetlick Flores also confirmed his agency’s officials will be conducting inspections at all hours during the festive seasons.

“I do not rule out the use of the breathalyzer test on a number of spot checks to see that there are no vehicles being driven under the influence of alcohol,” he said. “It is part of our process to enforce road regulations to make it safer.”

Under Maltese law, the current limit for drinking and driving is 0.5g/l for regular drivers and 0.2g/l for motorcyclists, taxi drivers and other specialist drivers.

That’s the equivalent of one small beer for the former and half a shot for the latter.

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