Malta: Improving Seat Belt Use

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Malta Improving Seat Belt Use

• Maria Attard
• Transport Policy and Planning Manager
• Malta Transport Authority
• maria.attard_at_maltatransport.com

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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.

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• Malta
• Extent of road network (gt 2,000 km)
• Extent of the built-up area (27)

SLIEMA
VALLETTA
THE GRAND HARBOUR
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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).

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Table 1. Stock of licensed motor vehicles on the
islands 1998-2002. Source NSO, 2003.
Motor Vehicle 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Agricultural 918 949 1,010 1,055 1,099
Private coaches 162 157 156 156 157
Commercial vehicles 41,932 42,687 43,164 43,663 43,852
Garage hire 863 966 1,034 1,116 1,165
Minibuses 375 390 397 398 399
Motorcycles 11,000 11,662 12,167 12,605 13,097
Private vehicles 169,542 176,264 182,105 188,492 195,055
Route buses 570 572 573 571 577
Self drive cars 4,136 4,777 5,738 5,521 5,454
Self drive mcycles 234 209 235 225 227
Taxi 245 245 246 247 247
Total 229,977 238,878 246,825 254,052 261,329
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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 (lt 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.

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Table 2. Road Traffic Accidents in the Maltese
Islands Source MEPA 2002 ADT, 2004.
Year Traffic Casualties Traffic Casualties Traffic Casualties Total Road Accidents
Year Fatal Serious Slight Total Road Accidents
1989 15 190 451 8,053
1990 4 134 337 7,949
1991 16 172 408 9,351
1992 11 183 504 10,352
1993 14 153 477 10,321
1994 6 206 565 12,353
1995 14 132 520 12,994
1996 19 154 568 15,344
1997 18 138 616 14,552
1998 17 187 649 9,067
1999 12 238 896 11,456
2000 15 244 925 12,654
2001 16 255 940 13,347
2002 16 314 965 13,999
2003 16 247 907 13,963
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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

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White Paper Policy Targets
Objectives Targets
Achieve modal shift from private to public transport modes stabilizing bus service patronage to 1995 levels 20 reduction in on-street parking, particularly in town centers Establish schemes for Green Transport Plans
Safe travel for all users - 50 reduction in injury accidents by 2014
Healthier travel 20 reduction in harmful transport emissions in the urban area 30 reduction in the number of cars entering Valletta peninsula
Making infrastructure accessible to all 50 of traffic management schemes implemented will be aimed solely at improving the conditions for non-motorists 95 of walkways should be within standard design Establish schemes for safe routes to schools for all town primary schools
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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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

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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
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Distribution

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

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Situation today
User Percentage use of seat belt
Car driver (1995 legislation) 99
Front seat passengers (1995 legislation) Adults Children 93 90
Rear seat passengers (2004 legislation) Adults Children 43 20
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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).

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THANK YOU

• maria.attard_at_maltatransport.com
• www.maltatransport.com