Road safety campaigners believe a decrease in fatal crashes shows their message is finally getting across to motorists.Nine people were killed on Bermuda’s roads in 2011, the lowest figure since 2004, indicating a grim trend which has claimed 127 lives this century is beginning to curb.Statistics also suggest 2011 had far less collisions than previous years, with CADA executive director Gillian Freelove-Jones saying: “CADA remains optimistic. We believe our messages, and those of our strategic partners, are being heard by the residents of Bermuda.”However, Mrs Freelove-Jones said the Island must push towards eliminating drunk-driving, backing Government’s plans for more breathalysers and stricter punishments for those caught over the limit.The One Bermuda Alliance suggested a ream of measures to improve safety further, but said the Progressive Labour Party Government had run up such a big debt it had few funds left to implement them.According to police, 1,798 collisions had taken place by the end of November 2011. Assuming that rate was continued in December, the total accidents for the year was 1,961.This shows a decrease for the fourth consecutive year, after the previous three years recorded 2,458, 2,287 and 2,258 respectively.A year ago the Island’s road death rate was 19.8 per 100,000 residents, putting it fractionally outside the international high-risk category and worse than everywhere in the Caribbean except British Virgin Islands.The death rate for 2011 is 14.0 per 100,000 residents, meaning it now compares favourably with eight other islands, including Cayman Islands and Bahamas.Mrs Freelove-Jones said: “While even one death is too many, the numbers of road traffic deaths are showing promising downward trends.“We know alcohol and or drugs play a role in the vast majority of road traffic fatalities in Bermuda.“Together we must remain focused, committed and continue to take responsibility to eliminate drinking and driving. We believe this will go a long way to further reducing and eventually eradicating traffic deaths on our roads.”In last November’s Throne Speech, Government pledged to table legislation to increase penalties for drunk driving and expand the use of breathalysers, while mandating DUI education for all disqualified drivers. The Attorney General’s Chambers are understood to be working on that legislation.Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva has claimed banning drivers from drinking any alcohol could help improve attitudes.Mrs Freelove-Jones said CADA supports well publicised roadside checkpoints, randomly stopping and breathalysing a percentage of drivers.“Research shows that when checkpoints have been set up in other jurisdictions, and the public have been given ample notice that the checks will take place, there has been a significant reduction in the number of alcohol-related road collisions and fatalities,” she said.“CADA will continue to work with all parties to assist in quickly putting these initiatives in place.”OBA leader Craig Cannonier said yesterday: “Deaths on Bermuda roads are an ongoing year-to-year tragedy that causes pain and loss for so many people beyond the victims themselves. It is a problem we can do more to alleviate.”Mr Cannonier said the OBA advocates measures including Cat’s Eyes in centre lines, better road lighting and speed cameras.He continued: “The most immediate way to reduce deaths and improve road safety is for the police to improve their presence on Bermuda’s roads and to maintain that presence.“But this gets us back once again to the biggest governmental problem facing Bermuda today: the PLP Government’s massive debt that now chokes its ability to sufficiently support programmes for the benefit of people.“To appreciate how significant this problem is one only needs to know that the Government must commit upwards of $200,000 a day just to pay the interest on its debt to Bermuda’s debt holders.“That’s $200,000 a day, on average, that must be paid out before any money can be spent on anything else in Government, from civil servants, to programmes for the needy, to small businesses selling their services to Government.“So, when you ask us about what’s needed to improve road safety, there are any number of steps we could take, but they all involve new spending money the Government does not have right now because of the cost of the massive debt built up during Premier Cox’s years as Finance Minister.“I know that’s not the positive answer to give, but it does reflect current financial realities. Now, it is possible to redirect spending within Government’s existing programmes, but we would have to first see for ourselves what are the possibilities.”