Is a driving while cell phone talking ban on the horizon?
As a partnership of agencies announced a new campaign yesterday to curb loss of life on local roads, they also showed a bold willingness to implement new procedures that would affect every Bermudian with a driver?s licence.
One potential change is the outlaw of cell phone use while driving. No plan is created yet, but Road Safety Council Officer David Minors indicated that some kind of regulation is necessary and could be coming soon.
He said: ?The Bermuda Road Safety Council is in the process right now of finalising our proposal to the Transportation Control Department, and the Minister, in relation to banning cell phone use while driving.?
Mr. Minors wouldn?t say if his council?s recommendation applies to all cell phone use while driving or if hands-free devices would be exempt. He said: ?It?s too early for that. That?s something that has to be vetted through legislation.?
Sen. Wayne Caines, who is the Junior Minister for Transport, said there was another idea to surface. It would introduce a point system for Bermuda?s drivers. Drivers with moving violations and accidents on their records would pay more for insurance than drivers who keep their records clean.
In both cases, the cell phone ban and the points system, final decisions have not been made.
Ultimately, however, the Road Safety Council, the Bermuda Police Service, and the Ministry of Transport, in a joint press conference, was not assembled to promote rule changes, but were focused on changing people?s dangerous driving habits.
The collective group said it was very concerned that there are already four traffic deaths on local roads in just the second month of the year.
Police Inspector Raoul Ming said: ?We?ve been making bad choices when it comes to making driving decisions. So I implore the public to be more proactive in the longevity of your life by making positive choices.?
The new campaign which is set to launch immediately will be called: ?Choose Life.?
In radio, television and print advertising spots drivers will be hammered with one main slogan: ?It?s YOUR choice, choose life!?
Sen. Caines said: ?We are speaking about Bermudians being responsible on our roads regardless of the age of that person.