The primary focus of most Bermudians is finding solutions to the violent crime affecting the island — and rightfully so. The recent gun violence and loss of life have rocked the community to its core. As we hopefully pull together to address this massive problem, we must also do our best to address road safety. I believe the two issues are linked to the change of culture we are experiencing.

Getting a handle on poor driving habits, improving road conditions, and beginning a cultural shift towards safer driving will free up much needed police resources to other pressing community issues.

This is another problem we cannot solve overnight or police our way out of. It requires a comprehensive long-term plan, which includes increased road safety education initiatives, a comprehensive review of our laws to explore stronger punishments for negligence on our roads, and extensive community consultation to ensure that the community has its voice heard regarding solutions.

Unfortunately, the last rolled-out national plan from the Government was “Operation Caution” which was to run from 2018 to 2023 under the remit of the Bermuda Road Safety Council. The work of the road safety council is continuous and appreciated, but there needs to be an updated and cohesive strategy to address the systemic issue over time.

Here are some suggestions for our government to implement:

• An updated national road safety plan for 2025 and beyond to meet the urgency of the issue

• More funds invested in keeping our roads in good condition and foliage properly maintained, for improved safety on the road

• Establishment of a separate infrastructure fund to preserve funds specifically for infrastructure maintenance

• Support the Transport Control Department with increasing the enforcement of our transport laws

• Weave road safety and good conduct on the road into our education system to prepare our young people outside of Project Ride and in advance of attaining their driver’s licence

• Amplify the Bermuda Road Safety Council’s community engagement to improve the participation of adults in road safety content

This is not a message to shift any focus from the horrific murders and crime, but rather a call for us to not lose sight of another massive issue that claims many Bermudian lives and leave others maimed for life.

These issues are two sides of the same coin and tackling them both with urgency would improve the overall safety of Bermudians.

• Dwayne Robinson is the Shadow Minister of Tourism, Culture and Transport, and the MP for Southampton East Central (Constituency 30)