The grieving mother of a man killed in a head-on car crash has made a heartfelt plea to improve road safety.

Dr. Muriel Wade-Smith has been rebuilding her life since 25-year-old Ashanti was killed at the beginning of May.

He was the passenger in a red Subaru car which collided with a Nissan van on North Shore Road in Devonshire.

The driver, Selwyn Berkeley, spent three weeks in hospital with serious injuries to his leg, foot, jaw and mouth.

The 43-year-old van driver suffered a broken leg and ribs and her eight-year-old son received facial cuts and a bruised lung, while her nine-year-old daughter escaped the smash unhurt.

Both vehicles were completely written off by the impact. And Police confirmed last night that the inquiry into what caused the accident was still open.

Now Dr. Wade-Smith, of Hillsdale, Devonshire, has appealed for Bermuda's drivers to be more safety-conscious and slow down.

"I lost a child through what I consider a senseless death,'' she said. "And because of the pain, the loss and so many other things that enter our lives now, I want the drivers of Bermuda to drive more safely.

"As a family, we never got back to that normality that we enjoyed previously.

"Time doesn't heal, it just puts distance between the death and the present.

"I wish people would realise that when I see all this reckless driving. When I see cars going too fast and bikes swerving in and out, something is triggered off deep inside of me.

"It makes me just want to stop that person and say: `Listen, you are handling your life carelessly. What you're doing is unnecessary and dangerous'.

"If they could only see things from my side of the fence, they would not drive in that manner.'' Dr. Smith, a senior education official who works in the US, has already started an educational fund for Ashanti's three-year-old daughter Jarissa and two stepchildren.

She was moved to do something for the children when Jarissa told her: "My daddy's gone to Jesus's house. I'm going to get him.'' Dr. Smith replied: "No, not yet. We're going to live first and get him later, so we can be together forever.'' Ashanti, who attended Elliott Primary School and was then taught at home by his mother, lived on Loyal Hill Pass in Devonshire with his wife Teionnea.

And Dr. Smith said her son thanked her for teaching him at home, during one of their last conversations together.

She added last night that she supported new Government efforts to improve road safety and driving standards.

Bermuda has suffered ten road deaths already this year.

Dr. Smith said: "I've been approached by many people who are concerned about the high level of recklessness on our roads.

"The general public needs to know the importance of safety on our roads.'' Donations to Dr. Smith's family trust fund can be made through the Benjamin-Smith Children's Account at the Bank of Bermuda, number 70115799.