Electronic speed detection, breathalysers and a “huge cultural change” are the key to tackling Bermuda’s alarming rate of road deaths, according to the new chairman of the Road Safety Council.

Ali Bardgett said Electronic Vehicle Registration stickers, already in place on the island’s vehicles, could be used in conjunction with automatic licence plate recognition technology to deter speeding motorists without the need for greater police presence.

Ms Bardgett added that breathalysers had made a serious impact on drink-driving habits in other countries.

In its Throne Speech last year, the One Bermuda Alliance pledged to bring in roadside breath testing as well as installing speed cameras around the island.

But Ms Bardgett said that the real way to force a much needed culture change could only come through education, personal responsibility and accountability, in addition to police enforcement.

Ms Bardgett reflected on “shocking” statistics that showed more than four people a day were injured as a result of road collisions in 2016. In the decade up to the end of 2016, 114 people died on Bermuda’s roads. According to the Bermuda Health Council’s 2011 Health in Review report, the age-standardised rate of traffic fatalities per 100,000 population was 28.2 in Bermuda, compared with 9.2 in countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation. For males, the rate was 59 in Bermuda compared to 14.9 for OECD countries.

Ms Bardgett said while the road council would like to see speed cameras installed, EVR systems could prove a viable alternative. “We already have the EVR sticker in our cars. This system was implemented in Bermuda by TCD in 2008.

“The technology has improved since then and probably is not as expensive now. EVR can be used with CCTV and automatic licence plate recognition technology. This technology has been around since the 1980s.

“Bangkok implemented this for speed detection two years ago via public and private partnerships. So far it has proven very successful, having a positive impact on the number of road deaths.

“This level of success is attributed to what experts agree is one of the most successful methods of ensuring safe driving: heightening the driving public’s perceived risk of apprehension by increasing the overall level of traffic surveillance.

“Using EVR in this way is less costly than increasing physical police presence, yet achieves the same goal.”

During last year’s Throne Speech, the OBA pledged that roadside breath testing would be brought in during 2017.

Ms Bardgett said when the breathalyser came into force in Britain in 1967, it brought a significant decline within two years, with the impact continuing for decades.

“A huge cultural change was taking place through education and enforcement,” she said.

“Many of the local bars either closed or became gastropubs. The same happened when smoking was banned in public places. Thirty years on, nobody would dream of lighting up a cigarette in a bar or restaurant.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t take us another 30 years in Bermuda to tackle this problem and reduce the current, consistent rate of at least one road fatality per month.

“The culture of drinking and driving in Bermuda is still behind the times.

“We hear the argument that taxis aren’t available or we don’t have night buses. Our Junior Road Safety Council members tell us that it is normal for them to go to a party and throw their keys in to a bowl to be locked away if alcohol is present. They don’t let their friends have the keys to their bikes if they have been drinking.

“Sadly this thinking hasn’t reached everyone yet. Some of the older generations, for example, still think nothing to leaving a dinner party in their car after a few glasses of wine, beers or other alcoholic beverages.

“We need targeted effort by all areas of responsibility, not just the police using enforcement. It starts with education, personal responsibility and accountability, and enforcement. If you have never been taught how to ride a bike on a road and navigate traffic, it is a reasonable assumption that riders are going to copy what they see other riders doing — it is a self-perpetuating problem.

“We have to change the culture with this next generation being the change agents, leading the mission to save lives. We need to raise awareness of bad driving behaviour and the consequences of such bad behaviour that leads to the loss of life and severe injury.”

The transport ministry has said it was working on the introduction of speed cameras, and has asked Road Safety Council to develop a Graduated Licensing Programme for legislation.

“The GLP is for 16 to 18-year-olds and will be accredited by a recognised international standard,” Ms Bardgett said.

“It will include on-road training with an instructor using helmets with a two-way radio and mic for constant communication while under instruction on the roads. We currently do not have any bike training on the road.

“Project Ride is confined to the car park at TCD and our 225km of paved roads now have over 47,000 vehicles for our newly licensed riders to navigate.

“We believe the lack of education of this standard is the result of the many of the problems we see daily on our roads. This comprehensive training, which has been standard for over 30 years in many other countries, will set the groundwork for changing riding behaviour.”

The council would also like to see better training for tourists renting bikes, she added.

“The training should be tailored and offered to tourists including on-road training with a test required, for their own safety and that of other road users.”