ROAD Safety Officer Roxanne Christopher and National Traffic Co-ordinator Inspector Chris Spencer yesterday warned the public that an increased police presence during the holiday season would result in serious consequences for drunk drivers.

The pair met with members of the press to discuss the recent spate of alcohol-related road fatalities. Perhaps to underscore the serious nature of Bermuda's drunk driving epidemic, the conference was held in Fresco's Wine Bar.

Ms Christopher discussed Road Safety Council initiatives to encourage responsible drinking during the Christmas season, including flashing necklaces imprinted with the phrase "RUOK2DRIVE", intended to provoke drunk revellers to rethink their transportation options.

Ms Christopher requested that Bermudians restrain themselves when drinking, utilise designated drivers, wear mandatory seat belts at all times, and take advantage of local taxi services when out painting the town red and green.

When first introduced, the mandatory seat belt law had a compliance rate of 98 per cent nationally. Now, a year later, seat belt compliance is down to about 82 per cent.

"If a person is not wearing a seat belt, there is little we can do," Ms Christopher explained. Advocating the use of the life-saving device, she noted that seat belt use "becomes conditioned, automatic behaviour. When you get in your vehicle, buckle up."

While recent studies on both sides of the Atlantic indicate that female binge drinking is at an all-time high, Ms Christopher admitted that no such research had been conducted locally.

"There have been no road fatalities involving women that are alcohol-related," she said. "It may be something we have to pay attention to."

Insp. Spencer described drunk driving as an unfortunate "part of our heritage", and warned that the recent increase in impaired-driving offences meant that police presence over the next few weeks would be intensified.

To drunk drivers, Insp. Spencer had one fundamental message: "Be warned." He added that should a driver be suspected of operating his or her vehicle while intoxicated, the likelihood of an arrest, testing, and possibly incarceration or licence suspension was high.

"If that's how you want to spend your Christmas, in a cell, I'm not going to discourage that," he said.