A distraught widow whose husband was killed in a road crash early Saturday morning said last night he would live on through their two young children.

Shirnall Thomas said she was at a loss of words at the death of 34-year-old Larry, father to Sianon, three, and Desiree, eight.

Mr. Thomas became the eighth road fatality this year on Saturday when his motorcycle and a van travelling in the opposite direction collided on Somerset Road in Sandys near the junction with Tankard Lane just after 3 a.m.

The Salt Rock Grill bartender from Southampton, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the King Edward VIIMemorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4.10 a.m.

The 24-year-old driver of the van was unhurt.

Last night Mrs. Thomas said support from family, neighbours and close friends was helping her through her tragic loss.

In an e-mail message she wrote: "At this time I'm short for words and I'm still in shock but I'm keeping very strong for the children and I have good support from the family, neighbours and close friends.

"I believe in the faith and God is on my side. He will prove. Larry will live on through me and his children."

A tribute page has already been created on the Internet networking site Facebook for the popular bartender and waiter.

"RIP Larry" was set-up on Saturday and already had 220 members and 61 posts last night.

Some posts were as heartfelt and short as: "gonna miss you funny man... " and others were more lengthy or even posted twice: "I'm gonna miss my friend, always smiling, always with a story to make people laugh... I remember when you pulled into Alec's driveway at 4 in the morning soaked to the bone from riding from oasis in the rain, walk right into the house and ask, 'so are we going to the beach or not?'

"My heart goes out to your wife and kids... you won't be forgotten my friend.

" Mr. Thomas' death marks the eighth road death for 2008 all of which have happened in March and April.Miguel Franco,17, and Rudell Smith, 48, both died in a separate motorcycle accident in the first weekend of March.

Then on Monday,March 24 American tourist, Martha Susan Hoopes, lost her life when he cycle collided with a van and then on April 8, David Ellis, became the fourth fatality of 2008.

Charles Everett, a 30-year-old lawyer at Appleby, died on April 12 after his bike hit a tree at 2.30 a.m. and later that day Kelvin Lamar Quarles, died in the hospital after falling from his bike on the Thursday.

Only days later, on April 14, Kitina Simmons died in hospital from head injuries she sustained after her car overturned and hit a wall becoming the seventh in only really two months.

Last night the Premier Dr. Ewart Brown called for the public to drive carefully and expressed his condolences to the family.In a statement he said: "On behalf of the Government I extend my deepest condolences to the family that has lost another of our young people too soon.

"I await word from Police investigators on the cause of this crash and how we might learn from the tragic consequences.

."In the meantime, I must begin this week with the same words expressed last week: personal choice is the true driving force when operating a motor vehicle, we must teach our sons and daughters to choose wisely on the roads.

"Their lives, or the lives of others, depend on it.

" Michael Scott, the Member of Parliament for Sandys North, where the accident happened, also extended his condolences to the family.

He said: "As a Member of Parliament for the west end, the area in which this tragic accident occurred, I wish to first extend my sympathies to the family of the victim.

"Those family members should know they are in my prayers as they deal with this tragic avoidable loss.

Mr. Scott also urged the community to come together and talk to their loved ones about drinking and driving, using public transport and speed cameras before the massive increase in visitors occurs.

He said: "I urge us all to come together and take control of our households, to adopt calm effective strategies by talking to your sons, husbands, daughters and wives to do the following: stop drinking and driving, stop driving at speeds that kill, use public transport, taxis and mini buses if drinking and implement speed cameras to calm traffic offending and catch persistent offenders.

"The latter proposal is one that I will urge on my colleagues within Government.

"Ahead of the massive increase in visitor activity and road usage by tourists on bikes out of the mega ship Dockyard pier, the need for community vigilance is greatly heightened.

"As a community, we can achieve measurable impact, but we cannot and should not leave this to The Road Safety Council and CADA and the Government alone.

"Change in behaviour starts with us in the community.

"The Bermuda Police Service also extended their condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Thomas and appealed for any witnesses to the collision to contact PCValerius Jean Louis at Somerset Police Station on: 234-1010.