The majority of the fatalities on Bermuda?s roads this year could have been prevented if the cyclists had been wearing helmets that were fastened properly or met the recommended standards.

The chairman of the Road Safety Council, Dr. Joseph Froncioni, and Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown this week made a plea to motorcyclists in Bermuda to slow down and be sensible on the roads.

This follows the year?s 11th road fatality on Sunday after 28-year-old Andrew Kemp was killed when he was thrown from his bike and collided with a stone wall at about 3.37 a.m. on South Road, Southampton.

Dr. Froncioni said of the 11 road fatalities in Bermuda so far this year, all cyclists, the majority died because of fatal head injuries ? injuries that he said could have been prevented if their helmets had met the recommended standards and had been fastened properly.

Of the 11 deaths, five have been tourists or expatriate workers and except for two in their 30s, the majority have been between the ages of 15 and 28.

Dr. Froncioni said a common thread has been a combination of speed, alcohol and ultimately fatal head injuries.

However, he said, while the Road Safety Council was always concerned about speed, it was also concerned at the state of helmets being used.

What many don?t realise, he said, was that the average lifespan of a helmet in Bermuda was only three years, yet everyday he saw not only adults, but also children on motorcycles with obviously old, scratched and dented helmets. Besides bumps and scratches, sunlight was the number one cause of helmet degrading.

?Oil from your hair can deteriorate the inside of the helmet over time,? he said.

He added that even helmets that are hardly used and look relatively new could pose a danger.

?Three of the fatalities this year would have lived if they had been wearing new, approved helmets,? he said.

He said it was unacceptable to simply pass down used helmets adding that the Road Safety Council was currently working on two public service announcements in an effort to address these issues.

But he was also appealing to Government to increase the amount of Police in the traffic division ? a department which he said was ?woefully understaffed?.

Dr. Froncioni said very little enforcement of Bermuda?s traffic laws meant that a $50 fine for not tying your helmet was just a ?slap on the wrist? and serious thought should be giving to increasing this fine to $200.

He said he hoped the demerit system which is currently being discussed would help as traffic offenders would get points for violations which would eventually lead to disqualification.

Meanwhile, Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses to the fatal road traffic collision that claimed the life of Mr. Kemp.

As reported this week, Police said it appeared Mr. Kemp collided with a kerb, was thrown from his cycle and struck a wall on South Shore Road near the junction with Cross Bay Road, Southampton.