The serious accident in Southampton yesterday afternoon is a reminder that users of Bermuda’s roads must exercise more care.

No matter the rights or wrongs of the crash on Middle Road, the end result is that another family are spending unscheduled time on the wards of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital when instead they could be planning summer holidays, beach picnics or deciding on what outfit to wear to Wellington Oval over the Cup Match holidays.

About six hours after that incident, another car overturned; this time on South Road, Warwick. Thankfully, in this case, the people travelling in the vehicle were able to get out safely and unharmed.

The Island suffered six road traffic fatalities over the first half of this year, which puts us on a course to equal or better the 16 who died in 2014.

For a country this size, and given the nature of our roads, that is far too high a number. Even one is too many.

Essentially, it speaks of a wanton recklessness with no regard for life; an immaturity; a selfishness. A backwardness, if you will. We are not a backward country, are we? The statistics suggest otherwise.

In a country so racially and politically divided, seemingly there is one thing we can collaborate on: a hellish desire to become the worst drivers on Earth.

For where else can a community with an average commute distance of two miles — three or four at best — produce the figures we have produced in Bermuda? And why?

A casual glance on most street corners, whether in the City of Hamilton or on the outer reaches, provides a simply answer. Rushing to go nowhere, really. Not in Bermuda, where you can go only so far. Twenty-one miles at last check.

It makes so little sense — and that is before you factor in the drink-drivers, drugged-up drivers and drivers with one hand on the wheel and the other on a mobile phone.

This is a disease that is colour-blind and it is killing us. Blacks, whites, expatriates, those of all degree of intellect.

Essentially, the bug has become widespread, so much so that the roads have become an asylum and we are only ever a “press send” away from the next serious smash-up.

There is so much that the police can do and probably less that can be accomplished by road safety summits that are expensively put together but forgotten sooner than you can say “cul-de-sac”.

Until households can honestly look one another in the eye and make a genuine effort at exercising road safety, we will continue to rack up the numbers. A conversation that can go something like, “Can you put all selfishness to one side, all selfishness, and promise to get home safe tonight?”

Guns are illegal but they don’t kill; it is the people who use them.

Cocaine and heroin are illegal drugs but they don’t kill; it is the people who sell and use them.

Bike, cars and mobile phones are legal but they don’t kill; it is the people who use them.

Sadly, yesterday’s 42-year-old crash victim is in a critical condition. We pray that he can leave the hospital under his own steam.

Elsewhere, the community should be steaming mad that we have allowed it to get so bad. We are not so advanced as to be embarrassed. That would be some cheek.