effect following its approval yesterday by Senators.

The law, which also removes mandatory jail terms for traffic offences other than drunk-driving, follows the Tumim report on justice in Bermuda.

Judge Tumim said too many young people were jailed for traffic offences and called for magistrates to have more discretion.

The new law -- the Traffic Offence (Penalties) Amendment Act -- stops magistrates handing down consecutive periods of disqualification.

This practice has taken some drivers off the road until next century, Senators heard.

Sen. the Hon. Pam Gordon , Minister for Youth and Sport, said: "The concern was that there are many young people from the age of 16 years who according to their record would probably not get on the road until they're about 30.'' Mandatory sentences were brought in to tackle a perception that magistrates were giving tougher sentences to black drivers, she said. The idea had also been to cut the number of young people killed on the roads.

But a new problem had arisen, and the new law was a response to it. She hoped Bermuda was now a maturer society and that magistrates and judges would realise people were concerned that they should be seen to be fair.

The new law says drivers now facing disqualification -- regardless for how long -- will have their slates wiped clean six months after the law takes effect, provided they commit no further offences in that time.

Sen. Gordon accepted there could be a few anomalies caused by the new law, but she hoped concern would prove unwarranted.

Sen. Ira Philip (PLP) said Sen. Gordon's "casual'' reference to Tumim suggested Government introduced the new law on its own initiative.

The PLP supported the bill, he said. But he pointed out his party brought about changes to it after exerting pressure in the House of Assembly.

He added that if Government was really sincere about "cleaning up'' the criminal justice system, it would have made sure the amnesty started when the new law came into effect, not six months later.

Sen. Joe Johnson (Ind) formally objected to the bill on the grounds that the amnesty might not be fair to all.

Vice-president Sen. Norma Astwood (Ind) said bad driving habits were passed on down the generations. She called for mandatory driving education and registered instructors. Offenders should also get instruction, she added.

She also called for drunk drivers to be given a chance to go to rehabilitation.

Sen. Wendell Hollis (UBP) said the law resulted from the Tumim report, but was also part of a worldwide trend. Despite possible anomalies caused by the amnesty, Government had to think of the benefit to the majority of people.