could be rebuilt after a special investigation by Government officials.

Transport Minister Wayne Furbert last night revealed he would visit the scene of Bermuda's last two road deaths today or tomorrow.

And he will seek technical advice from a Government engineer and Bermuda's new Road Safety Officer, Laura Smith, during the visit to Middle Road in Southampton.

Mr. Furbert said: "The Government is concerned about the increase in fatal road accidents so far this year.

"If there is something that can be done about that road, it will be done.'' Seventeen-year-old Ewan Sampson died after his bike hit a bakery van on the bend on Tuesday evening.

And the crash scene was less than ten yards from the spot where 27-year-old Mark North was killed in a head-on collision with a van two weeks ago.

The deadly stretch of Middle Road is a 100-yard curve just west of the Shell gas station.

The bend stretches from east of Plumber Lane to Scenic Heights Pass, where it straightens out.

Angry residents called on Government chiefs to make the bend safer, labelling it a "deathtrap''.

One woman even said there had been four accidents on the bend in one early-morning three-hour period.

Mr. Furbert revealed that Laura Smith, Bermuda's Road Safety Officer for eight years until January 1997, had re-taken the post last night.

The Island has been without a Road Safety Officer for several months, following the resignation of Delcina Bean Burrows.

But Mr. Furbert said: "Laura Smith had been seconded away from the department for quite some time but now she returns.

"And our first task together will be to visit the site of these crashes and examine whether there's any specific trend or link between them.'' He said Police reports would be pulled up to see what had caused most crashes.

"This latest accident appears to be quite unusual and as I understand it, the bike stand got caught on the road,'' added the Minister.

"I hope to inspect the area by the end of this week and Laura will be able to report any findings to the Road Safety Council.

"They are already looking at new campaigns. This was the fifth fatal accident this year and that's something which saddens all of us.

"But as much as we campaign and advertise, our roads are only as safe as our drivers.

"We will do all we can to improve safety at this bend but the motoring public in general also needs to take on board the safety message.'' He said the average number of fatal crashes was as high as 12 a year in the late 1980s, but had now dropped to four or five.

"We're already at that level for this year,'' added Mr. Furbert. "Something clearly needs to be done.'' Section of road to be made safer Road Safety Council Chairman George Morton, speaking after Bermuda's fourth road death in 1998, said: "We have been silent as a Council so far this year.

"But behind the scenes, we are putting together a comprehensive programme looking at tightening up even more traffic laws, starting more media advertising and introducing year-long awareness campaigns instead of just at holiday time.

"We want on-going improvements to the legislation and those areas where people might see loopholes.

"There is also an idea to have more public speaking and research into safety programmes.''