Residents have been invited to make their voices heard on road safety matters as they learn more about a proposed Bill that would double fines for bad driving and allow police to conduct roadside sobriety checks without warning.

Jarion Richardson, the Shadow Minister of National Security, Governance and AI, will lead the event at Vasco da Gama Club tomorrow, from 6pm to 8pm,

He encouraged people to find out more and ask questions about the Road Traffic and Motor Car (Road Safety and Penalties) Amendment Bill 2026.

“Bermuda’s roads have become a serious public safety and public health concern,” Mr Richardson said.

“In 2024 alone, there were 1,459 reported road traffic accidents, 788 casualties and 127 serious injuries.

“Behind every statistic is a family, a hospital visit, time away from work and, too often, a life permanently changed.

“Responsible drivers and riders should not have to accept speeding, impaired driving, dangerous overtaking and reckless behaviour as normal.”

He explained: “The Road Traffic and Motor Car (Road Safety and Penalties) Amendment Bill 2026 is intended to strengthen deterrence and protect the public.

“It would introduce more meaningful consequences for road offences, allow unannounced sobriety checkpoints with clear safeguards, ensure repeat offenders cannot avoid demerit-point consequences simply by paying a ticket and strengthen accountability for dangerous use of vehicles.

“The Bill is not the whole solution — Bermuda still needs better roads, speed cameras, modern ticketing, court and coroner reform — but it is a practical first step.”

Mr Richardson, a former police officer, said this week that he was confident the Bill would receive bipartisan support, and he urged members of the public to attend the town hall event.

He added: “This meeting is also an opportunity for residents to share their own experiences of collisions, dangerous road behaviour, enforcement and the wider impact on families and communities.

“Road safety affects all of us and the public’s voice should help shape the action Bermuda takes next.”

Along with doubling fines, the Bill would permit “a superintendent or higher-ranking officer to establish or authorise a road sobriety checkpoint without public notice, Official Gazette publication or senior magistrate authorisation, but subject to written authorisation, a necessity-and-proportionality threshold, neutral vehicle selection, safe-operation requirements, record keeping and aggregate after-the-fact reporting”.

Mr Richardson was hopeful that the Bill will be debated in the House of Assembly this Friday.