The situation is clear. A number of factors are contributing to the rising number of road traffic injuries in Bermuda. There is an urgent need for change. Here are some of the most pressing issues to be addressed and some suggested remedies:

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. This is certainly one of the most pressing problems we face. A large proportion of the serious road crashes we see involve alcohol and/or drugs. Strict enforcement of existing drunk-driving laws and implementation of the 1997 Road Traffic Amendment Act giving Police the right to obtain blood and/or body fluid samples for alcohol and drug analysis from suspected impaired drivers would serve as an effective deterrent. (Unfortunately, this law has been caught up in legal and procedural issues since it was passed in 1997 and has not yet been implemented.) This should be coupled with improvements in public transportation including taxi service as well as the facilitation of designated driver schemes.

Speeding. Over the past ten years, the average speed in Bermuda has increased from around 40km/h to well over 50km/h. Our statistics show that the crash rate has also increased in parallel. If we cannot curb speeding effectively, our road injury statistics may soon mirror the findings of numerous studies that have shown that small increases in speed result in disproportionately large increases in road fatalities and injuries. More stringent enforcement of the speed limit, traffic calming measures and the introduction of technology such as speed-cams must be made a priority.

Under-utilisation of seat belts and child restraints. In the arena of injury prevention, the soon to be implemented seat-belt law will finally bring Bermuda in line with other wealthy nations. Occupant restraints are by far the most cost-effective injury prevention measure available and it is expected that one death and 30-40 head, facial, neck or chest injuries will be prevented yearly.

Young inexperienced road users. Every year, nearly 1,000 teens turn 16 and for most of these young people, this includes a most significant rite of passage: getting a motorbike. Unfortunately, the majority of these new road users are let loose with little or no formal riding instruction. Some learn from their mistakes but others die or are seriously injured because of them. Indeed, in most of the developed world, it would be inconceivable to grant full licensure without elaborate formal driving/riding instruction. To address this situation, the Road Safety Council will soon submit to Government recommendations for the introduction of a Graduated Licensing Scheme. Graduated licensing is recognised as the most effective way to license new road users, easing them toward full road privileges over a two-year period.

Poor quality or inadequately fastened helmets. The single most important item of protective gear for the motorcycle rider is the helmet. Today's advanced plastics and composites combined with new design and manufacturing techniques allow for helmets that provide very high levels of head protection. It is paradoxical, therefore, that in this relatively affluent community, the helmets used by both residents and tourists alike tend to be at the bottom of the quality spectrum. One might expect that any responsible parent would make sure that his/her child is wearing the very best helmet they can afford. Instead, most look for the cheapest available. To make matters worse, the ravages of sunlight, scratches and day-to-day wear and tear limit a helmet's useful life to approx. three years; far too many Bermudians are riding around with helmets that may well fail the ultimate test.a crash. Sadly, this is born out in our yearly head injury statistics. Finally, there is the disturbing trend, especially popular among young people, of not fastening or loosely fastening the helmet strap, a habit that by itself may be responsible for the most devastating head injuries we see. The Road Safety Council is encouraging Government to introduce internationally recognised minimum standards for all helmets sold in Bermuda. In addition, we are pleased that the Police have heeded our recommendations and included helmet offences in their Strategic Targeted Enforcement Programme (STEP).

Remember, 90 percent of accidentsare predictable and preventable. Take smart risks, not stupid risks. Live wisely. Live healthy. Live long.