Driver and pedestrian behaviour must be improved and emphasis placed on increasing child safety, Bermuda's new road safety officer believes.

Delcina Bean-Burrows has just taken up the challenges left by Laura Smith and says she has a deep desire to improve safety on the Island's roads.

"I have been concerned about the road condition in Bermuda for quite some time.

"Back as far as 1994 when I returned here from graduating I was acutely aware of how road conditions had deteriorated in terms of driver and pedestrian behaviour,'' said Mrs. Bean-Burrows.

Mrs. Bean-Burrows was appointed as the new road safety officer earlier this month replacing Smith who left the post last year.

She comes to the position after five years as an occupational therapist at the Ministry of Education and two years as an occupational therapist in Washington D.C., where she worked with road accident victims.

A Bermudian, Mrs. Bean-Burrows obtained a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in occupational therapy from Howard University and a Master of Education degree from Kent State University.

She has also taken graduate courses in research, statistics, public health education and occupational health safety.

As the new road safety officer she will have responsibility for developing and administering a road safety programme.

Her primary role will be to educate the public, particularly school children, on all aspects of road safety through advertising and promotional campaigns.

"My biggest concern and one that has been relayed to me by members of the community is child safety,'' said Mrs. Bean-Burrows.

"We need to look at how children are transported in vehicles and also the behaviour of children playing on the streets.

"I hope that future initiatives that we plan will really target childrens' behaviour as well as the behaviour of the adult entrusted with looking after the child.'' She added: "I was interested in getting this job. I did not want to be a person complaining about road conditions. I wanted to actively do something about them.'' Delcina Bean-Burrows