Bad driving habits leading to ‘carnage’ on the roads has prompted police to issue a warning to motorists.

To date this year, Bermuda has seen 343 collisions involving injury — 61 of them serious, according to Inspector Robert Cardwell of the Roads Policing Unit.

During the Cup Match holiday a horrific crash into a roadside camp site has led to the death of one man and three other cases of “very serious injury” including one death were recorded, while five motorists were arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.

“This past holiday weekend saw substantial carnage on the roads,” Insp Cardwell told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

“Some horrific, major injuries were suffered. Bermuda has seen nine road traffic fatalities to date this year — those lives have been lost and the families forever affected.

“But equally, and which does not get the public attention, is the reality that there have been many more who have suffered horrendous injury in collisions.

“Their lives have been affected by lifelong serious injuries suffered. This includes those who no longer have mobility through paralysis, lost limbs or suffered broken bones that require major medical treatment and long periods of rehabilitation.”

A crash at 11.30pm on Saturday between a taxi and a motorcycle on Parsons Road, Pembroke left one person seriously injured.And an 18-year-old motorcyclist required hospital treatment after a crash on Friday night on Middle Road, Southampton.

Although Cup Match drew thousands to various functions with little antisocial behaviour, Inp Cardwell said, there was “not much to be proud about on our roads”.

“Anti-social driving behaviour continues — there were 24 collisions over the four-day holiday weekend alone. Human behaviour contributed to these collisions in the absence of no other excuses. There was no ice on the roads, the roads weren’t even wet, no vehicles reportedly malfunctioned causing the collisions.”

He cited impaired driving, speed, inattention and “aggressive driving” as top aggravating factors in most crashes.

Insp Cardwell added that injuries inflicted by dangerous driving carry “huge consequences for all, not only those injured and their families who are required to care for them — insurance rates and healthcare costs affect everyone”.

One year’s care for a person suffering from paralysis could run up to at least $1 million, he estimated.

Insp Cardwell implicated driver impatience and a penchant for risk-taking as fuelling the dangerous climate on the Island’s roads.

“Risk taking is a practice we all see everyday on the roads. Failing to use indicators, failing to obey traffic signs, creating third lanes of traffic, careless overtaking and exiting minor roads onto major roads without due care and attention also contribute to the problem.

“Exercising common courtesy, something Bermudians are well known for on the roads, would be helpful.”

Many local thoroughfares are minor roads that are “blind” when feeding into major roads, he said.

“As a result, drivers are caused to ‘inch out’ sometimes just so they can see if the road is clear.

“On these occasions it is a common practice for vehicles on the major road to go into the opposing lane to go around them rather than stop. No time would be lost in letting the ‘inching’ driver out and a collision would certainly be avoided.”

While the limited resources of police are reassigned to target specific traffic problems, Inp Cardwell cautioned that enforcement alone couldn’t rein in dangerous driving.

Members of the public are also at liberty to report dangerous drivers — but the police response can be “somewhat limited and dependent on how far the reporting party will get involved”, since more than just a licence plate number is required for a successful prosecution.

As well as requiring a statement of complaint, police would have to conclusively identify the offending motorist, and the reporting person would be required to attend court and give evidence. Insp Cardwell said he was unaware of any prosecutions via such means.

Asked for the best recourse, the Roads Policing head replied: “Obey all the laws. The laws are designed with penalties to act as a deterrence, ensure safety and save lives.”

Traffic rules apply to all road users, including people on foot, he noted: “Whilst pedestrians have the right of way at a crossing, they are still required to ensure motorists have seen them prior to stepping on to the crossing.

“Stepping out on to a crossing without ensuring motoring traffic has seen them and acknowledged their intentions to cross the road is prevalent particularly in the City of Hamilton.”

Added Insp Cardwell: “We can increase safety, save lives and reduce instances of collisions involving serious injury by getting this conversation going. Improving driving behaviour needs to be on the minds of everyone. Raising awareness is key.”