[WATCH] New drink-driving campaign targets sea vessel drivers

New drink-driving campaign targets sea vessel drivers

Transport Malta has embarked upon another anti-drink-driving public awareness campaign, this time with a special focus on drivers of sea vessels.

Transport Malta has deployed Rubber Inflatable Boats to the sea to hand out breathalyzers to drivers of boats, jet skis and other seacraft.

"Sea transport operations are no longer the luxury of a few wealthy families, and many Maltese people now own jet skis, seacrafts and cabin cruisers," transport minister Ian Borg told a press conference at the Valletta Waterfront. "Our message is that the negative effects of drink driving on the sea are just as bad as the effects when driving on the road."

Transport Malta conducted 270 inspections on sea vessels between May and July, handing out 119 fines and 85 warnings in the process. The most common contravention was overspeeding, for which Transport Malta gave out 73 fines and 80 warnings.

Borg said that some of those overspeeding cases might have been due to people drunk-driving on the sea.