chairman of the Road Safety Council said yesterday.

With seven road deaths in the first nine months of the year, "we have to ask ourselves -- as a community -- are we truly serious in trying to eradicate the problem of irresponsible behaviour on our roads,'' George Morton Jr. said.

And if the community refuses to practise the rules of the road what -- short of punitive measures -- can be done to restore safety; that's where the Road Safety Council comes in, Mr. Morton told the weekly luncheon meeting of Hamilton Lions.

The Council is in the process of preparing a position paper for the Minister of Transport, Wayne Furbert, and will be recommending both new and enhanced legislation for road users.

While refusing to specify the changes being considered, Mr. Morton said the report will look at issues such as new measures to counter impaired driving and speeding, better education and more stringent testing programmes for first-time road users, child safety, and the mandatory use of seat belts.

The report, which is being prepared at the request of the Minister, is expected to be made public before the end of the year.

In the meantime the Road Safety Council is continuing the push for new hi-tech measures -- such as photo-radar -- to counter speeders, and will continue to promote campaigns such as National Road Safety Week and the free-ride and designated driver programmes during the Christmas holiday season.