A 23-year-old motorcyclist has died after he lost control of his bike and crashed into a tree.

Shawn Williams, of Paget, was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning but succumbed to his injuries.

His death is the 14th road fatality of the year and has prompted the Road Safety Council to urge all drivers to take extra care on the roads during the festive season.

Meanwhile, police are appealing for information about the whereabouts of Mr Williams before the crash in a bid to piece together his last movements.

Carlton Crockwell, chairman of the Road Safety Council, told The Royal Gazette: “Hearing the news that another person had died on our roads brought tears to my eyes.

“Mr Williams was just 23 years old and had his whole life ahead of him.

“It is obviously very upsetting for his family, friends and the whole community.

“I know his family and they are good people. My condolences and sympathies go out to them.”

Mr Williams was initially treated in the Intensive Care Unit after the accident.

But he passed away just a few hours after being admitted to hospital.

The accident occurred on Paynter’s Road, near the junction with Harrington Sound Road, in Hamilton Parish at 1:33am on Sunday.

A Police spokesman said: “It appears that he was riding his motorcycle east along Paynter’s Road when he lost control of his cycle and hit a tree.

“Following the collision, Shawn was admitted into the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where he remained until his passing a few hours later.

“A Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to Mr Williams’s family to assist them at this difficult time and a full investigation into this fatal collision is under way.”

Yesterday, Mr Crockwell urged drivers to take extra care on the roads this Christmas.

“We have had 14 deaths on the roads this year. It is simply not acceptable,” he said.

“We have a lot of work to do if we are going to tackle this problem. It is a sad situation.

“I would urge people to think about how they are getting home when they go out this Christmas and make arrangements to ensure they get home safely.

“We need to be extra careful and make sure we make sensible decisions.

“As a community we need to look at what we can do to make the roads safer, and the Road Safety Council will be stepping up our advertising and commercials in the New Year to get the message out there.”

The Bermuda Police Service is appealing for any witnesses to this accident, and anyone who may have information about the whereabouts of Mr Williams before the accident, to contact the Roads Policing Unit on 295-0011.