Disciplinary Action Taken Against Driver Caught Overtaking Dangerously On Gżira Bypass
Coop Services Limited have taken disciplinary action against a van driver Lovin Malta published dash cam footage of erratic driving on the Gżira bypass yesterday.
“Coop are taking disciplinary actions against the driver” Stuart Abdilla, Director of Coop, told Lovin Malta.
“It’s going to be a fine, and a warning.”
Though Coop are rightly taking action against this driver, they also wished to make it clear that when the driver was caught on camera, he was not working a Coop job at the time.
“Coop’s drivers don’t have all their work from us. They can do other jobs for other companies, or privately. At that time, from Coop, he didn’t have work.”
The driver of the van told Lovin Malta that there were no children in the car at the time this footage was captured.
Coop could not confirm this, but did say that the time and location made it likely that the driver was heading towards a school where he would later pick up students.
“Because he was using a Coop van, we’re taking action against him. Like we would against all other drivers. We have a policy about not just giving a fine, but also a warning. If you have several disciplinary actions, there will be a suspension of license.”
Despite these disciplinary actions, the Director also stated that the dash cam driver was also in the wrong.
“Our driver did two incorrect things, once before entering the tunnel, across a continuous white line, but then again in the tunnel, across a continuous white line.”
“But then, after the tunnel, he had to overtake again, but there were drivers on the right side. In Malta we don’t know what the fast lane and the slow lane is.”
According to Transport Malta’s Highway Code, it is correct that “you must use the inner (i.e. left-hand) lane, except when overtaking or turning right”.
Though the dash cam driver was not travelling at excessive speed, he was moving faster than traffic in the left lane at the time of being overtaken – which is what caused him to have to brake so suddenly.
The Highway Code also states that vehicles should never overtake “when to do so would force another vehicle to swerve or reduce speed”.
Additionally, it states that drivers should “not overtake if the centre lane is already occupied by an oncoming vehicle”.
It is clear from the footage that the Coop van driver violated this code, regardless of whether the dash cam driver was in the correct lane, and Coop have done well to take action and discourage dangerous driving.
Tag someone who should browse the Highway Code and learn how to overtake
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