Twelve cars have overturned on Bermuda’s roads this year — twice the number recorded during all of 2025.

Altonio Roberts, the chairman of the Bermuda Road Safety Council, described the increase as “most definitely” concerning. He said the roads were “the worst we’ve ever seen them”, and pointed to distracted and careless driving as factors in crashes that result in overturned vehicles.

Owen Darrell, the transport minister, has also expressed concern over the number of crashes, calling for a change in motorists’ mindsets and promising further road safety measures.

Mr Darrell said the rise in overturned vehicles was “absolutely” a concern, but cautioned against assuming excessive speed was responsible for every incident.

“It could be people not paying attention. It could be speed. In some instances, it could be medical emergencies,” he said. “Unfortunately, we just do not know.”

The crashes have occurred across the island, with vehicles ending up on their roofs or sides after striking walls, sidewalks, parked cars, a utility pole and roadside banks.

Several drivers have required hospital treatment, while some incidents have led to arrests or police appeals for motorists who left the scene.

Mr Darrell said the growing circulation of photographs and videos of overturned vehicles through WhatsApp groups and social media had made the crashes particularly conspicuous.

He said the images should also serve as a warning to motorists.

“We’re hoping that, by seeing that, your second reaction is ‘let me drive safer, let me slow down’,” he said.

Mr Darrell said the Government’s Operation Action Road Safety campaign was seeking a “change of mindset” among motorists before a tragedy or other life-changing experience forced them to reconsider their behaviour.

He added that the transport ministry had further road safety plans that would be announced “very shortly”.

The minister also acknowledged concerns about the condition of Bermuda’s roads and said improvements were being made, while emphasising that motorists remained responsible for their own behaviour.

“Personal responsibility has to be taken,” he said.

Mr Roberts said distracted driving was a particular concern in relation to overturned vehicles.

“In regard to overturned cars, we have seen a higher amount of overturned cars, and I think that the reason is because of distracted driving,” he said.

He urged motorists to focus on driving and stop texting, interacting with children or carrying out other activities that could distract them behind the wheel. “Any collision or crash is a problem for me,” he said.

Mr Roberts said most of the reports of overturned cars received by the council had not involved intoxication and pointed instead to careless driving.

Asked about loss of focus behind the wheel, he said distracted driving and speeding both fell into that category.

He said there was a plan to introduce stiffer penalties but added that tougher sanctions alone would not solve the problem without a broader change in motorists’ behaviour.

“The culture has to change. How we believe, how we behave, how we act on our roads,” he said.

He added that driving with a handheld device was illegal and, when asked whether such use could contribute to crashes, replied “most definitely”.

He added that road conditions could “possibly” be a contributing factor but said: “What we’ve seen is careless driving.”

Police urged motorists not to drive while impaired, fatigued or distracted and to reduce their speed, warning that speeding could lead to a loss of control with serious consequences.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said there was no single explanation for vehicles overturning.

“There is no one specific cause when it comes to matters of this nature, although speed and driver state can be contributing factors,” he said.

The first recorded overturned vehicle of the year occurred on January 1, when a car mounted a kerb east of White Hill in Sandys. The female driver was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.

The most recent was on July 23, when a car hit a wall on South Road in Devonshire.