Bermuda's roads claimed their tenth fatality of 2008 on Saturday night — prompting yet more calls for motorists to change their attitudes to road safety.

A 45-year-old Devonshire man lost control of his motorcycle and smashed into traffic lights at Crow Lane, Paget, at about 11 p.m, according to Police.

The victim, who has not yet been named, suffered serious head injuries and was taken by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11.11 p.m.

It keeps Bermuda on course to record one of its worst ever years for fatal crashes, with all ten deaths coming in the past three and half months.

Last night, new Junior Transport Minister Marc Bean joined his predecessor Wayne Caines and Public Safety Minister David Burch in attempting once again to force home the road safety message.

Their advice was echoed by the youngest member of safety group Remembering Our Loved Ones (ROLO), 20-year-old Melissa Looby, who has lost four friends to road crashes in the past four years.

Miss Looby told The Royal Gazette she was physically sick after driving past the Crow Lane crash scene on Saturday.

"I saw the aftermath of it as I was on my way into Hamilton," she said.

"The traffic pole was laying flat on the ground. It's really different seeing, for the first time, an accident to that degree.

"I was with my friend. We were coming over Trimingham Hill and I saw the bike and I knew it was something bad.

"Then I saw the helmet and I was literally looking at where the body must have been. All that was lying there was a sneaker and some pieces of clothing."

Miss Looby said ROLO sends its condolences to the victim's family and will provide whatever support it can.

But she added: "Right now, the way things are going, I don't know how you comfort them. It's ten for the year. If it keeps going like this, how many will it be by December?

"There's no way to comfort a family. I can't say to anybody that it gets any easier to deal with this, because it doesn't."

Before resigning from Cabinet to become CEO at Digicel in Bermuda last week, Mr. Caines repeatedly made impassioned pleas for people to drive within the speed limit, avoid drunk driving and refrain from using electronic devices while driving.

Hours before Saturday's fatality, Mr. Caines met Sen. Bean to discuss Government's efforts to educate the public on road safety.

Sen. Bean, who named Lloyd Burch (2003) and Zalita Hunt (1994) as two loved ones he has lost to road crashes, said he was determined to carry on where Mr. Caines left off.

"If it's not a family member, it's a friend. The list is too long — it stretches back for years," he told this newspaper.

"My condolences go to the victim's family. You put yourself in the shoes of people who have lost loved ones. Each time there's a fatality it brings back those awful memories."

Sen. Bean said a greater Police presence may encourage people to slow down, but would not be the answer on its own.

He stressed the importance of what he described as the "Three Cs" of road safety: care, caution and courtesy.

"It's important people be conscious of the decisions they make," said Sen. Bean.

Mr. Caines said: "Although I no longer have the portfolio, and Senator Marc Bean is quite capable and perfect to handle the situation, I would like for us to continue our campaign of driving responsibly.

"It was something I deeply believed in, and I am still deeply committed to it.

"I had a long talk with Marc Bean on Saturday night. He and I had a handover. We were sharing common points of interest and I was going through what was expected of him in the Senate.

"He's just as passionate as myself. He's very involved with the community and will be able to bring together all his experience as a community activist."

Sen. Burch said in a statement last night: "First, I must extend my sincerest condolences to the family of the victim. And until I learn the circumstances of this particular case — I will refrain from further comment. However, I do join the many in this community in pleading with those who use our roads to exercise extreme care and caution."

These are the other nine people killed on Bermuda's roads in 2008: Miguel Franco, 17; Rudell Smith, 48; Martha Hoopes, 39; David Ellis, 36; Charles Everett, 30; Kelvin Quarles, 37; Kitina Simmons, 23; Larry Thomas, 34; Dennie DeSilva, 46.