Insurance companies have offered to help organise a massive education campaign in an effort to clean up the death and destruction on Bermuda's roads.

Dr. Joseph Froncioni, chairman of the Road Safety Council, said he would have liked to launch a multipronged campaign using a variety of mediums, including television and radio, but did not have the budget to do so.

However, two of the largest insurance companies on the Island, BF&M and Colonial, both said they would be very interested in assisting with the campaign and would help to drum up financial support.

Dr. Froncioni said: "I would love to launch an education campaign, but we need money. To make public service announcements that get the point across, nowadays, takes a lot of money.

"Education would definitely help the situation, but we need an influx of money, either from the private sector or Government, and I don't know if that would be forthcoming.

"I could talk to the Transport Ministry about it. The stakeholders should put up the money, absolutely, because education about prevention has been shown to be cost effective."

Glen Gibbons, of BF&M Insurance was contacted by The Royal Gazette, and he said he would be happy to investigate the idea more. BF&M has supported campaigns by the Road Safety Council in the past.

"We would be more than willing and happy to sit down as part of a group to address road safety, with the major stakeholders, including the Road Safety Council, Police, Government and other motor and health insurers," he said.

"It is something that we believe in. Having an educated driver is certainly one of the solutions in easing the problems on our roads. We are a local company and we have an interest in making sure the community is aware of road safety, not just in terms of the claims element, but from a social angle."

And William Madeiros, of Colonial Insurance, agreed. He said: "We would be very prepared to meet with any interested parties to look at the possibility of a joint venture. I don't think it's just about insurance companies putting up the cash or about the Road Safety Council coming up with the idea.

"I would think it would have a good affect because there are a lot of different messages we could send. Very sadly, it's taken nine deaths to get people's attention. And let's not demean them because they are devastating losses, but what about the claims we get from people who are left seriously injured, as well. The cost of the nine deaths is immeasurable in every sense, but there is additional cost to the Island in terms of injury and damage."

Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said he was definitely looking at the idea of a huge education campaign, and felt sure there would be a number of individuals and companies on the Island who would be prepared to step up to the wicket.

He said he had been troubled by the deaths and accidents on the roads and wanted to ensure that motorists in Bermuda began to listen.

He said: "You can rest assured that we are going to do what ever it takes, including a dramatic and tough education campaign. We are committed to that much, and so we are going to go at it with special energy.

"We have always had a programme, but we are going to step it up two or three notches.

"The Road Safety Council is tight for cash, but that's part of my job - to find the funding."

And he said insurance and other companies had worked on education programmes in the past, and he felt sure many would want to work on the latest venture.

"They have a heightened sense of concern now," he added.

"I have no doubt that there will be numerous companies and individuals who will step forward."