Road safety campaigners came out in force yesterday for the launch of a car dealers’ safe-driving pledge wall.

Now customers at Auto Solutions in Pembroke and members of the public will be encouraged to sign their names as a promise to drive with care on the roads.

Harry Andrews, Auto Solutions’ sales and marketing manager, said: “We’ve reached a critical point of crisis on our island with regards to hazardous and reckless driving and the loss of life on our roads.

“As a local dealership, it’s our inherent responsibility to join in this important conversation, bring attention to the issue and try to assist in changing the habits of our drivers.”

Mr Andrews, who came up with the pledge wall idea, added: “We want to build on the momentum built by Cada, the Bermuda Police Service, A Piece of the Rock and The Royal Gazette’s Drive for Change campaign and make this a conversation that’s had in every household.”

Glen Smith, the managing director of Auto Solutions, said: “We have seen far too many tragic accidents and lives lost on our roads and it’s high time for action.

“The idea behind the pledge wall is simple but our hope is that the act of signing your name to make that promise will remain in your mind.

“We will be encouraging not only our customers but anyone who wishes to sign the wall to come down and participate.

“Our hope is that the sight of it in the showroom will have a lasting positive impact on driver behaviour.”

To mark the launch of its pledge wall, Auto Solutions presented anti-alcohol abuse charity Cada with a cheque for $2,500.

Dexter Smith, Editor of The Royal Gazette, said: “Efforts such as these all contribute to raising awareness of the issues surrounding road safety.

“Our death and injury rates are at a critical level and it is heartening to see a growing movement to address it.

“This is why The Royal Gazette is committed to pushing for improvements to road safety through its long-term campaign, Drive for Change.”

The launch was backed by organisations involved in the island-wide call for change on Bermuda’s roads, including a team of Bermuda Police Service traffic officers and Dennis Lister III, the chairman of the Bermuda Road Safety Council.

Mr Lister said: “We support them in any efforts to help create a safer driving culture and to get persons to pledge, whether it is their customers or any member of the public who goes there, to commit to safer driving.”

Inspector Robert Cardwell, head of the BPS roads policing unit, added: “It is really pleasing to have Auto Solutions come on board the road safety drive.

He added: “A signature on the pledge to drive safely board on display at Auto Solutions is a virtual contract. We hope that those who sign this pledge will honour the pledge by driving safely and promoting safety on our roads.”

The wall will be on permanent display at Auto Solutions’ showroom on St John’s Road.