Members of a local medical organisation this week heaped praise upon Government for moving to deter deadly drunk driving.

And the Bermuda Medical Society Road Safety sub-committee members called for further measures to help decrease the road traffic accident rate.

The sub-committee had recommended that law be changed to allow for mandatory blood testing of suspected alcohol and drug affected drivers involved in road traffic accidents.

BMS chief Dr. George Shaw said: "The Bermuda Medical Society wishes to congratulate the Government for having acted on this recommendation by passing the Road Traffic Amendment Act 1997.'' This recommendation was presented, along with others, to Transport Minister Wayne Furbert in a Road Traffic Accident Position Paper in late 1995.

"We feel confident that the Road Traffic Amendment Act 1997 will act as a strong deterrent to drinking and driving,'' said Dr. Shaw.

The amendment strengthens the law relating to impaired driving offences with the creation of three new offences: driving while impaired and causing the death of another; driving while impaired and causing grievous bodily harm to another; and driving while any dangerous drug is present in the body.

It also removes the court's discretion to disqualify offenders from driving only certain classes of vehicle. Now when an offender is disqualified from driving it will be from all vehicles.

Furthermore, the amendment also gives the court power to order that first-time offenders, with their consent, undergo an educational programme. Doing so will reduce 12 months of disqualification to nine.

"We would in addition strongly urge Government to introduce graduated licensing which we feel would result in a decreased road traffic accident rate in the highest at risk population, that is, our young first time motor cycle users,'' continued Dr. Shaw.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Joseph Froncioni explained the concept of graduated licensing which was also included in the committee's position paper.

"This is a method of granting licenses with graduated privileges,'' he said.

For instance, 16-year-olds would only be granted a license after an appropriate driving course with restrictions that they could only drive during daylight; that they could not have a pillion passenger on their cycle; and that there would be zero tolerance if they were involved in a road traffic infraction.

"They would lose their license immediately,'' stressed Dr. Froncione.

Over time the rider would be granted privileges, he continued.

Graduated licensing would change the type of driver the youth was and his or her attitude when they were 18, said Dr. Froncione. "It would create safe and responsible drivers ... and decrease accidents.''