An island artist has created a poster as a vivid reminder of the risks of dangerous driving.

Russell Eddy said that people would only take notice of the dangers out there if the message was stark.

The charcoal and acrylic work features a row of black crosses on the side of the road with the front cross in white with RIP written on it.

Mr Eddy, a retired architect, said the poster was designed to make viewers ask themselves whether they might be the next fatality on the roads — or the cause of someone else’s death.

Mr Eddy said: “We get the paper every day and you see these photos of accidents and details of deaths but do the people take any notice?

“My idea with this is it is vivid and if you see something vivid then you will remember it rather than read about a couple of accidents and then turn the page.

“The idea came years ago when I was in high school — I did a painting similar to it and the teacher was so impressed he wanted me to go into commercial art.

“Now I am trying to portray a bunch of crosses to ask ‘are you next?’ or ‘If I am not next have I caused someone else to be next?’

Mr Eddy added: “I’m concerned about the dangerous driving on the roads — it is not just the speeding, it’s the dangerous driving. Some of these guys wait until a corner before they pass like it’s a game of chicken or something.

“It seems to be getting worse. A lot of the speeding bikes over the years, small capacity bikes have got faster and faster.

“I think if they want to speed, why don’t they join the club where they can race — if they think they are that good go on the track and see how good they really are.”

Mr Eddy has tried to contact the Bermuda Road Safety Council to see if they would be interested in using the poster as part of a campaign.

David Minors, road safety officer at the Transport Control Department, said: “The BRSC is grateful to Mr Eddy and all other artists, musicians and singers who have reached out to be a part of the solution.

“We are considering all of their submissions and how best to work them into campaigns and awareness materials.”

Mr Eddy, who admitted he no longer felt safe using his own bike, added: “If the Bermuda Road Safety Council picked it up I think it could have an impact — if we have it on the roads it might slow people down. If it saves one live it is worth it.”

Mr Eddy said that the Government should use its massive majority to boost road safety.

He added: “The Government needs to forget re-election prospects and think of the people. Whatever a politician’s decision is — it is governed on what might happen at the next election.

“The present government has such a high majority that they could introduce legislation that might be unpopular but they could pass it and people would have to live with it.

“Personally I think there should be something like a $3,000 fine for dangerous driving and confiscation of the vehicle.

Mr Eddy said: “I think speed cameras are a really good idea, also roadside sobriety testing, and we need more training. It should be a bipartisan effort — politicians of both parties should get behind it.”