This newspaper has long questioned if the time has really come for seat belts in Bermuda.

Really enforcing the speed limit and good driving habits always seemed to be better options before creating another class of offenders on the Island's roads.

Nonetheless, the law was changed earlier this year and drivers and passengers now have a year to comply before it comes into force. They should start getting into the habit now.

Two accidents in the last week that resulted in injuries to adults and children suggest that buckling up may well have gone a long way to reducing the injuries that resulted.

In one case, it is alleged that the front seat passenger had a child on her lap. While this is not certain, it should be clear to all road users that this is a dangerous habit that puts children at unnecessary risk, especially in poor driving conditions.

Equally, the habit of allowing small children to sit beween the driver of a bike and the handlebars is dangerous, and illegal. The Police and members of the public should do everything they can to stop people from practising these dangerous and possibly fatal habits.