Police are to aggressively step up its Operation Safer Streets initiative after a recent spate of fatal road traffic accidents. Specifically, Police will be addressing "disturbing riding and driving practices".

Most recently, the Island recorded three road traffic fatalities in just a five-day period which was described by Police as "one of the worst weeks in recent history when it comes to serious road traffic collisions". The tragedies lead to a meeting between the Road Safety Council and the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) in which a number of methods to combat reckless driving and riding behaviour were addressed.

Operation Safer Streets is being led by Inspector Nicholas Pedro. Yesterday, Commissioner of Police George Jackson said: "The BPS is determined to ensure a high standard of care among the motoring public while on our roads.

"We will commit the resources to adequately police our roads and we again remind motorists that following the rules of the road is the only way to promote safety." Meanwhile Road Safety Chairman Dr. Christopher Johnson added that several initiatives have been discussed including legislative ones.

He stated: "In our advisory role we will urgently put them to the Premier and Minister of Tourism and Transport for his consideration.

"We are confident that the Government will continue to take these matters seriously and strongly consider our proposals." Premier Ewart Brown, also Minister of Tourism and Transport has already complimented the Council on its work and attention to the recent road safety tragedies, the Council said.

Dr. Brown said of the recent deliberations: "I wish to commend the members of the Road Safety Council and the BPS for continuing to collaborate in this way.

"I look forward to scrutinising their proposals more closely and sharing them with my Cabinet colleagues. "Again I reiterate the well-known message of road safety and urge motorists to slow down and not to drink and drive." On Monday Kitina Simmons, 23, of Sandys, died in hospital after suffering serious head injuries when her car overturned and struck a wall in the early hours of last Thursday.

Following her accident, Charles Everett, a 30-year-old lawyer at Appleby, died in the early hours of last Saturday after his motorcycle hit a tree at the junction of Cedar Avenue and Laffan Street in Pembroke.

Later that day, Kelvin Lamar Quarles, 37, of Warwick, died from head injuries after falling from his motorcycle in Palmetto Road, near Barkers Hill, at 8.20 p.m. on Thursday.