Police are urging bar staff at the Island's happy hours to be vigilant in serving drinks to inebriated customers this summer.

Chief Inspector Nicholas Pedro issued the warning as part of a Police crackdown on road safety following a recent spate of fatal accidents.

He said the Bermuda Police Service was doing everything in its power to ensure safety on the roads, but that liquor licencees, employers, parents and community groups could all do more to raise awareness of the dangers.

In the past week alone, Police have issued 115 speeding notices — the highest of which was 87 km per hour.

At a Press conference yesterday, Chief Insp Pedro said: "The Bermuda Police Service is committed to enforcing the rules of the road, but there has to be a partnership with the community.

"There are some locations that feature more prominently in road traffic accidents, and that's where we try to focus our resources, but we can't be in all places at all times."

Chief Insp Pedro said it was down to each individual to take responsibility for their own actions.

"We want people to take ownership of their own lives and to not drink and drive," he said.

"In the last five years, alcohol has played a prominent role in many deaths — over 50 percent were alcohol-related.

"In 2007 alone, there were 280 arrests for impaired driving — half of which proved positive, and a significant number of these were involved in collisions.

"This year we're already on track for similar numbers, with over 50 people arrested so far."

Chief Insp Pedro said: "We have some places here in Bermuda that host events for over 1,000 people at happy hour, and so we're trying to get people to buy into being responsible — for the agents of these events and to the people who attend them to drink in moderation.

"The agents with a liquor licence have to be vigilant towards people showing signs of impairment, before serving them with more alcohol."

Police will also bolster their presence on Friday and Saturday nights to get the message across to motorists.

"I can assure you that we will continue to use a variety of resources — not just the Traffic Unit, but also officers from Operation Safer Streets and the Community Action teams," said Chief Insp Pedro.

"We will be conducting roving road checks around the Island. We have already been doing this, but want to reassure the community that we will be enforcing the law."

The officer said too many people still do not take drink-driving seriously enough.

"We need a cultural shift in Bermuda," he said. "It is still far too accepted to drink and drive in Bermuda — perhaps because people think there's no officers on the roads so it's worth the risk."

He added the same was true of cannabis users. "People need to know it's just not acceptable," he said.

Chief Insp Pedro said Police also want employers to take a more pro-active role in educating foreign workers to the rules of the road — particularly motorcyclists.

"I would encourage employers and colleagues to make sure those new to the Island have full capability and that they have the required knowledge needed," he said.

He gave the 'third lane' as an example, saying it was an offence of driving without due care and attention to overtake traffic in the middle of the road and then force oncoming vehicles to brake suddenly or change direction.

"We also want parents and community groups to think about educating young riders before they go out and get behind the wheel of a vehicle," he said.

However, men aged 21-40 were more likely to be involved in an accident than teenagers.

The Bermuda Police Service is hopeful that as the penalty points system establishes itself in the courts system, the general public will become safer drivers.

"We are hopeful that it will start to have an impact on people and that in time, this will pay dividends," said Chief Insp Pedro.

Last year, the number of reported accidents rose by 5.5 percent to 3,006 — compared with 2,839 in 2006.

Of these, 974 resulted in injury — affecting a total 1,098 persons.

There were eleven road fatalities in 2007.

The death of Kitina Simmons yesterday marks the seventh road fatality in just the first four months of this year.