The Road Safety Council's chairman yesterday threw his support behind drug and alcohol testing of drivers involved in accidents.

And the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) also gave its backing to proposals made last week by the Bermuda Medical Society aimed at reducing road accidents and resulting injuries and deaths.

The Medical Society called for testing at accidents, random alcohol and drug testing of other drivers, "graduated licensing'' and use of headlights during the day in a paper presented to Transport Minister the Hon. Wayne Furbert.

Graduated licensing involves drivers receiving increased driving privileges based their records.

Road Safety Council chairman Mr. George Morton said he had considered the idea of graduated licences and alcohol testing last year.

"In order to move ahead we must push in a positive direction in exploring the legislation surrounding driving while impaired whether it be alcohol or drugs,'' Mr. Morton said. "At this time the strongest argument for not interfering with legislation is the human rights issue. At present a person isn't able to be tested unless they condone the testing whether there are significant signs of impairment or not. "My personal view is that driving while impaired is next to a criminal offence because you are knowingly and intentionally not only taking your own life and putting it in a very risky situation but you are more importantly placing various individual road-users in a life-threatening position also. "My responsibility is to advise on ways in which to limit the amount of apparent risk on Bermuda's roads. Therefore, I feel mandatory testing of drugs and or alcohol in accident situations should be implemented which will not only indicate or prove suspicions of this offence but in and of itself prove to behave as a deterrent to those road users who blatantly ignore the warnings of impaired driving.'' CADA vice chairman Mrs. Katherine Watson said: "We are heartened to see the Island's doctors and a Government body officially take a position on random drug testing as a deterrent to road traffic accidents and resulting injuries and deaths.

She added: "As orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Joseph Froncioni said last week during his press conference, too many Bermudians in general and young people in particular are being grievously and often fatally injured in accidents to which alcohol and or drug abuse is a direct contributor.'' Mrs. Watson also said CADA will have a petition of support at the Council Partners booth at Drug Awareness Day next Saturday at the National Stadium. "The petition can help gauge community support for the Bermuda Medical Society's recommendations,'' Mrs. Watson said. Transport Minister the Hon. Wayne Furbert said: "It was very interesting and encouraging to see an organisation such as the Bermuda Medical Society come forward with recommendations.

"I found the recommendations for graduated licensing very interesting and many individuals have spoken to me about that concept.'' Mr. Furbert promised to review the proposal with his Ministry and the Road Safety Council.

"The other society recommendations regarding mandatory daytime headlights will be discussed within the Ministry and if we can see that the alcohol and drug testing does not infringe on the rights of the individuals then we will favourably consider it,'' he said.