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Malta: Improving Seat Belt Use

Malta: Improving Seat Belt Use. Maria Attard Transport Policy and Planning Manager Malta Transport Authority maria.attard@maltatransport.com. Background. The Maltese Islands are a group of 3 major islands (Malta, Gozo and Comino)

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Malta: Improving Seat Belt Use

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  1. Malta: Improving Seat Belt Use Maria Attard Transport Policy and Planning Manager Malta Transport Authority maria.attard@maltatransport.com

  2. Background • The Maltese Islands are a group of 3 major islands (Malta, Gozo and Comino) • The total area is 318 sq km with Malta being the largest island (246 sq km). • A country with the highest population densities and levels of car ownership in Europe. • No natural resources except for limestone and natural harbours. • Main industries are in service trade, particularly tourism contributing 30% of GDP.

  3. Valletta • Malta • Extent of road network (> 2,000 km) • Extent of the built-up area (27%) SLIEMA VALLETTA THE GRAND HARBOUR

  4. Current Situation • Rapid changes in land transport over a very short period of time. • Increase in private mobility • Increase in road infrastructure • Steady economic growth with GDP increasing at an annual average rate of 4%. • Increase in household disposable income (7% over 10 years). • Increase access to private cars (116% increase between 1985-2000).

  5. Table 1. Stock of licensed motor vehicles on the islands 1998-2002.Source: NSO, 2003.

  6. Road Accidents • Increase in number of road accidents. • Fatalities have remained stable with an average of 16 fatalities a year over the past 10 years. • Despite low fatality figures, car journeys in Malta are very short and average speeds are very low (< 60km/hr in most areas). • More cars on the network have further reduced speeds. • Road surfaces have acted as a deterrent with most serious accidents occurring on newly surfaced roads.

  7. Table 2. Road Traffic Accidents in the Maltese Islands Source: MEPA 2002; ADT, 2004.

  8. Transport Policy – Road Safety • Despite lack of formal policy, the Government of Malta focused on road safety and introduced: • compulsory seat belt use • Introduction of drink/driving laws (breathalyzer testing) • Compulsory use of crash helmets • Use of mobile speed cameras • Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing • Media coverage encouraging good driving behaviour

  9. White Paper Policy Targets

  10. Seat Belt Legislation • Compulsory use of front seat belt introduced in 1995. • Compulsory use of rear seat belt by children introduced in January 2004. • Compulsory use of rear seat belt by adults introduced in July 2004.

  11. Current Efforts • Malta Transport Authority • A new accident record sheet for Police to include reference to the use of seat belt in injury accidents. • A road safety committee to draw up a Road Safety Strategy. • At Government level • The Verona Charter – an international commitment to promote road safety. • EU White Paper targets.

  12. Improving Seat Belt Use (1) • Measures which led to the very successful adoption of seat belt use in 1995 were: • Heavy enforcement upon implementation • Heavy fines and constant patrolling • Television campaigns on the benefits of wearing the seat belt targeting both adults and children sitting at the front (one successful advert advocating children to sit at the back).

  13. Improving seat belt use (2) • In 2003, Government started drafting a new regulation for rear seat belt use. • Children under 3 years of age sitting at the front seat must wear appropriate child restraint and those sitting at the rear must wear child restraint if available. • Children aged 3 to 11 and under 1.5m in height sitting at the front seat must wear child restraint and when not available an adult seat belt must be worn and those sitting at the rear must wear child restraint or adult seat belt if available. • In both cases, the criminal responsibility lies on the driver of the vehicle.

  14. Adopting a new legislation • Publicity (TV, Newspapers) • Information using road accident statistics “in 2003, in Malta, nearly a quarter of the 363 car passengers who sustained injuries as a result of traffic accidents on our roads, were sitting in the back seat of the vehicle at the time – tragically two lost their life”

  15. Better use of statistics “25% of all rear seat occupants who were injured last year were children under 12 years of age” “recent surveys reveal that more than 95% of adults and 85% of children do not wear a safety belt or child restraint device when traveling in the back seat of cars” “in the European Union, in 2001, 40,000 passengers were killed in traffic accidents. Although, on average, some 90% of car users in these countries wear seat belts, some 7,000 of those killed were not wearing a seat belt.” “wearing of safety belt reduces the chances of death in a crash by 45% and the chances of serious injury by 50%”

  16. Distribution • Leaflets (Local Councils, Schools) • Stationery for children. • Board Games for interactive learning.

  17. Situation today

  18. Conclusion • Best tools are enforcement and education. • The efforts to reduce road accidents have led to: • A comprehensive legislative framework • Better information on statistics • Media campaigns • Collaboration between agencies (ADT and Police).

  19. THANK YOU maria.attard@maltatransport.com www.maltatransport.com

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