Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith implored motorists to slow down and drive safely after the release of troubling traffic offence figures yesterday.

Police reported 15 percent increase in the number of drunk driving arrests in 2004 while speeding tickets are currently being issued at a rate of between 400 to 500 a month.

Commissioner Smith?s advise came the day after Bermuda recorded its first road fatality of the year. Biker Scott Gibbons died after smashing into two cars on the Causeway yesterday morning. Mr. Gibbons, 34, a father of one who worked as a labourer, was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead a short time after.

?We are seeing incident after incident of high speed, serious collisions, particularly late at night,? Commissioner Smith said.

?These involve two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles. resulting in considerable damage and personal injury. The toll this takes on the community is significant. Two-wheeled accident right off costs can easily involve $50,000 including medical expenses, investigative time, specialist emergency services required at scene, cost of repair to other vehicles involved, lost productivity and longer term medical costs. One single incident can cost the entire system well over $100,000 ? and that doesn?t even factor in the human cost of long term, often permanent debilitating injuries as a result of major accidents. The message here is simple ? adhere to the speed limit, slow down and comply with road traffic laws.?