A family was grieving last night after a 15-year-old CedarBridge Academy student became the fifth road accident victim of the year.

Student Oshea Stowe, of Pearman's Hill, Warwick, was killed in the horrific smash at 5 a.m. yesterday morning after the grey Subaru J10 he was travelling in smashed into a wall and collided with a trailer parked on Ord Road.

Police said it appeared that the 23-year-old driver lost control of the vehicle.

The driver was described as stable on a general ward in King Edward VII Memorial Hospital last night, while two youths aged 14 and 16, who were also in the car, escaped unhurt.

Yesterday, the dead boy's mother was not at home when The Royal Gazette called to speak to her, but CedarBridge Academy principal Kalmar Richards was notably shocked when she heard the news that one of her students, who was an only child, had died.

She said: "I'm shocked and I'm saddened. I can't imagine what this loss is, what the depth of the loss is for the family.

"I used to greet Oshea along with other students when he came through the gate in the morning and I found him to be a very pleasant young man and a very quiet young man.

"I can see his face in front of me now. He was very pleasant and very mannerly. My deepest sympathy is extended to the family."

Oshea is the fifth road fatality so far this year - and the third involving cars of youths.

At the end of January, 47-year-old British butcher Warren White was killed on Crow Lane in Pembroke after he lost control of his bike.

In March, Troylisha Outerbridge, 19, died after a car packed with young people she was travelling in veered off the road at Shelly Bay Field on North Shore Road in the early hours.

Less than a week later, Chioke (Bruiser) Spencer, 22, was killed on Middle Road in Southampton after the car he was driving collided with a wall.

On those two occasions young people under the age of 18 were in vehicles late at night, prompting Transport Minister Ewart Brown to urge both young people and parents to act and drive more responsibly.

Three weeks' ago, Laurie Joseph, 29, was killed after crashing his motorcycle on Harrington Sound Road in Hamilton Parish.

Last night, Police spokesman Dwayne Caines extended the force's deepest sympathies to Oshea's family, and urged all motorists, particularly young people, to be more vigilant on the roads.

He said: "Bermuda Police Service has noticed that the driving practises of road users has become a point of concern.

"Over the past few weeks, Police have stepped up their presence on the roads, issuing tickets for speeding, lighting offences and helmet infractions. We have also made appeals on the local TV and radio stations.

"We are appealing for the motoring public to honour and obey the laws of the road."

"One death is too many and we are presently at five this year. Three of these involved groups of youths in cars."

Anyone with information about the accident on Ord Road in Warwick yesterday morning, or people who saw the silver Suburu J10 before the accident, should call Acting Sergeant Dorian Astwood on 295-0011.