Over the last five days, two people travelling on Bermuda's roads have lost their lives.
First, on Saturday, a Bermudian male motorcyclist. Then again on Tuesday, an American woman visiting our island — bringing the total this year to a heartbreaking thirteen. To the families, friends and loved ones of every victim, I am sorry for your loss, and I extend my deepest condolences.
I want to speak with you not just as a minister, but as someone who shares this island with you. I have also personally experienced loss this year, with a family friend falling victim to the behaviour on our roads. So as I stand here today, I want the public to know that this is an issue we are all feeling and seeing, and we are in this with you.
Thirteen deaths in eight months is not a number we should accept as our new normal, and it isn't one I accept now. Our current situation is untenable for a flourishing Bermuda.
From an accountability and coordination point of view, let me be clear on what the public can expect from my Ministry.
National Security's role is to support the Ministry of Transport when it comes to road safety particularly on the enforcement aspect when it comes to policing: that entails roadside visibility, compliance with the relevant laws, delivered by the Bermuda Police Service under the Commissioner.
Since taking office a month ago, I have already been meeting with the Police weekly on this, and road safety has been a standing priority in my regular engagement with Commissioner Simons, alongside the other public safety matters I'm accountable for.
In light of the recent uptick in recent collisions, I have spoken with Commissioner Simons around what immediate actions the Police can take to address public concerns around increased police visibility on our roads, and he will speak to the specific measures being taken which the public should expect to see in the coming days.
In our meeting on Monday, we heard from the Bermuda Police on the specific strategies and tactics they will be employing to demonstrate that targeting increased enforcement and police action on our roads is a top priority. That includes stepped-up enforcement operations already underway, and roadside sobriety checkpoints beginning this week.
I know that when it comes to the enforcement aspect of road safety, one of the big concerns people have has been the need for more police presence on our roads.
The good news about this is that we agree on this point. You will have no disagreement or defensiveness from me in acknowledging that there is a need for greater visibility from police on our roads. This is something the Commissioner also agrees with, and over the past month he and I have been discussing increased police visibility as a priority.
It is something we are actively working on together, and while you will see an increased police presence immediately in response to the current spate of road fatalities we are experiencing, a key aspect of the conversations I am having with the Commissioner is how we ensure that an increase in police presence can be sustained and consistent in light of the current demands placed on the police and the various responsibilities the service is facing.
I say that to acknowledge that to the extent that police and enforcement can help address our road safety problems, we are urgently reviewing what more can be done to assist, and the Commissioner will speak to this next. At the same time, I want to be clear about expectations on enforcement.
The evidence is clear that increasing enforcement alone does not solve the challenges we face when it comes to road safety.
Police cannot do it all, and the government cannot control every individual's decision on the roads. There is a role of personal responsibility we must take here and a cultural shift which we can help to prompt but need to acknowledge as a shared effort. The behaviors behind almost every one of these thirteen deaths are ones we already know: speeding, driving while distracted, driving while impaired, and risk-taking that has become far too normalized on our roads.
The truth is, this is ultimately a cultural issue, and a shared responsibility. That is the approach we are taking — not enforcement as the answer, but enforcement as one part of a wider response.
I will continue weekly discussions with the Commissioner — not only on visibility, but on data collection and analysis, deployment, and the other tools that help us target enforcement where it will save the most lives. And I'll continue working alongside the Bermuda Police Service and the Ministry of Transport on the wider measures needed for lasting change.
I'll now ask Commissioner Simons to speak to the specific enforcement actions underway.
