Tue, 2006-10-17

Since 1999, 68 people have lost their lives on Bermuda’s roads and hundreds have been seriously injured as a result of serious road traffic collisions.  In the past four days, 2 teenage young men were involved in serious collisions and are now in the hospital recuperating from what can only be described as life changing injuries. Just this past weekend there were 27 collisions and yesterday there were 9 collisions with 5 resulting in injury. So, it is clear that we are facing a road crisis. 

It is to that end the Bermuda Police Service is mounting a road safety initiative. 

From a law enforcement perspective we are launching an invigorated enforcement initiative to change the behaviors on our roads, in order to cut down on the number of collisions and deaths, making the roads safer for all users.

• We will be targeting a host of offenses. First and most critical is speed. The speed limit in Bermuda is 35km/h - anyone who is above that is breaking the law and subject to a ticket. There is a belief that the unofficial speed limit is 50km/h and as long as I stay under that I am okay. Wrong! We will also be enforcing the law when it comes to motorists creating a third lane, riding with out due care, parking illegally (in bus lay bys, on yellow lines or on side walks) failing to stop at a stop sign or red light and driving too closely, just to name a few.
• Officers from the Traffic Enforcement Unit will be enforcing the initiative; however, they will be supplemented by officers from the Operational Policing Division. Officers will be on foot, in cars and on bikes in locations all over the island. We will also be using conventional and non-conventional means to achieve our desired result.

Our aim is to change the culture on our roads and to make the roads safer for all by reducing the number of collisions and therefore deaths resulting from road traffic collisions.

• More Press Releases Here