How will we know if a driver has been smoking cannabis? – Adrian Galea – Times of Malta

Even though a consultation process over the new cannabis law was launched, this ended up being more of a ‘tick-box’ exercise just to meet requirements.

The Malta Insurance Association was one of those who contributed to the consultation process and was one of those entities that expressed certain concerns.

Malta’s swift passing of the bill made it to the headlines of most international news portals, but such speed can really only be justified if the level of enforcement matches the policymakers’ eagerness.

This topsy-turvy approach sends a warped message that it’s fine to consume drugs privately, but then stops short of spelling out that certain activities, such as driving, that may follow such consumption, are illegal.

There really is no difference between driving under the influence of drugs or not if personal consumption is condoned and we don’t have the means to test drivers.

When determining fault and the applicability of policy cover, knowing whether the driver was intoxicated or not is crucial.

However, it is only fair that those who drink- or drug-drive should also suffer the civil consequences of their action and not just the criminal ones, and they can find themselves having to reimburse their insurer for all the compensation that was paid out.

The irony of all this is that the basic rules for road safety that are taken for granted by other countries are compromised further.

While the MIA continues to contribute actively as part of the Malta Road Safety Council, the latter’s role should be developed further and go beyond its advisory function.

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