Police roadside drug tests, even without reasonable suspicion, and harsher penalties for people who drive or cause accidents and deaths under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- An effective prison sentence for drivers guilty of killing a person, even unintentionally, under the influence of alcohol or drugs
With legal amendments proposed by the Government, the Police will be able to start carrying out random roadside drug testing for the first time without reasonable suspicion or a court order, with the aim of further strengthening road safety and protecting as many honest and responsible citizens as possible. This is in a similar way to alcohol tests. This follows work carried out in recent months by the Police Force where market research was carried out and special tests were purchased, which are located in Malta.
During this year, the Police carried out 2,000 road checks, complementing other work carried out by LESA and Transport Malta. This means that in the first eight months of the year, road checks have already been carried out as much as in the entire year, which will lead to them reaching triple the number carried out three years ago by the end of the year. Enforcement that builds on the increase in penalties in recent years.
Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment Byron Camilleri reiterated that it is clear that despite this, deterrence needs to be increased and laws against abusers tightened, because it is unacceptable for someone to endanger the lives of others on a whim.
“In July we gave a clear signal with the first reading in Parliament that we were going to move in this direction, also because we were concluding a number of internal and even external consultations to have a robust reform that introduces roadside drug testing that can work in a strong way.”
Therefore, despite this increase in enforcement, the Government is recognising that more deterrence is needed and is proposing:
1. Drug tests by the Police, on the street, similar to the way alcohol is done today.
2. Random Roadside Testing, where drug or alcohol tests are conducted even without reasonable suspicion.
3. An effective prison sentence for anyone found guilty of killing a person, even involuntarily, under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The possibility of a suspended sentence would be eliminated.
4. Penalties for those who choose to drive drunk or under the influence of drugs are strengthened, with harsher fines at the disposal of the Court.
5. Power to the Prosecution to request that the driving license be suspended while the proceedings are pending. It will then be up to the Court to decide on this request.
This reform builds on the steps already taken to strengthen security and public order, and is designed to provide greater protection for everyone who observes traffic rules.
