Road safety officials hope legislation implemented by the end of this year, including a point system for wayward drivers will curb the culture of impunity on Bermuda's streets.

Returning to her post after a two-year hiatus, Road Safety Council Officer Roxanne Christopher voiced her dismay at the recklessness that she sees continuing on the road.

Yesterday, in an interview with The Royal Gazette, Ms Christopher outlined some of the initiatives she hopes to bring online soon and concerns she has about the upcoming holiday weekend.

"There have been nine fatalities this year on the road," she said. "Last year there were only five, so this is a significant increase. We have also had 55 collisions that involved alcohol so far this year. We know people will consume, but we must have zero tolerance for drinking and driving.

"Compared to this time last year, there has been a slight decrease in collisions due to speeding and other factors, but fatalities have significantly increased. So I'm not sure if the incidents have decreased or just less people are getting caught.

"My predecessors started a road safety campaign, but we're in the middle of starting a campaign that will be more Internet-based because the youth are all on Facebook and MySpace so we're going to push for that."

In February this year, Acting Road Safety Council Officer David Minors launched, along with the Police and the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, a programme warning youth about the consequences of speeding.

Survivors of road fatalities shared their concerns and memories during a meeting in March that left tears in everyone's eyes and a renewed energy to create an advocacy group to help ease the after effects of road accidents.

That meeting led to the creation of a support group, Remembering our Loved Ones, which hopes to implement a day of remembrance in September or October of this year.

Also coming later this year will be a points system, according to Ms Christopher, which will award drivers points for varying offences from speeding to being caught drunk driving. When a person receives 12 points, their licence will automatically be revoked for a period of time.

The Road Safety Council has also recommended a ban on cell phones while driving and a graduated system for giving driver's licences, which will mean 16-year-olds will have to experience six months, after receiving their licences, where they cannot give someone else a ride or drive after 11 p.m.

"The average age for collisions is 33 years old, so it is a behaviour that is getting progressively worse. Respect for the road needs to start at a very young age and at the ground level," she added.