Guest workers will have to undergo mandatory lessons before getting their motorcycle licence under a new programme announced by Junior Transport Minister Marc Bean yesterday.

He told the Senate that moves were afoot to extend the Project Ride road safety programme, which is now mandatory for riders aged 16 to 18, to expatriates of all ages.

Sen. Bean said a lot of crashes, including fatal ones, involved foreign residents, many of whom had never been on a motorcycle before coming to live on the Island.

"We will be instituting a Project Ride programme for guest workers who operate a vehicle, which is just common sense," he said.

Sen. Bean told The Royal Gazette that Project Ride would only be made obligatory for guest workers, since he said the number of Bermudians who fail to get a motorcycle licence before the age of 18 is tiny.

But Bermuda Road Safety Council Chairman Christopher Johnson said such a scheme should be extended to all new riders.

Dr. Johnson said it was true that very few Bermudians would be affected since the majority learn to ride as teenagers but that those without experience needed the lessons as much as anyone else.

He said Project Ride should be for "anyone who has no history of riding on a bike, like a proven history, meaning they have a cycle licence".

"There is a skill set that needs to be built," he added.

Sen. Bean argued that any new law did not need to include Bermudians above the age of 18.

"It's the expectation when you turn 16 in Bermuda that you learn to ride.

"But a guest worker coming to the Island has more than likely never been on Bermuda's roads or ridden a cycle. They are as much of a beginner as a 16 or 18-year-old who is local.

"I see it as a wise choice to look into establishing some kind of training requirement for guest workers before them getting behind a vehicle and operating on Bermuda's roads. Their experience is probably even less than the 16-year-old."

He pointed to an accident at the weekend which left a 25-year-old Canadian man in intensive care as an example of why the training was needed.

"As far as I can say there has been a tremendous amount of guest workers who have been in serious accidents and/or lost their lives."

The new law making Project Ride obligatory for motorcyclists aged 16 to 18 was passed in the Upper Chamber yesterday.

It will require youth riders to complete a minimum 12 hours practical training, as well as learning road safety theory.

The Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment (No. 2) Act 2009 also bans those with a youth licence from carrying a pillion passenger, and riding between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Anyone allowing a youth to ride a motorcycle between those hours will be in breach of the new Act, which also bans those aged 16 to 18 from renting a scooter without a youth licence.

Sen. Bean was quizzed by his colleagues on whether Government has further plans to improve Bermuda's safety record, after nine road fatalities already this year.

Sen. Bean replied that a law banning motorists from using cell phones while driving is on the cards. "We agree that's going to be in the pipeline," said the Junior Minister.

Independent Senator Joan Dillas-Wright said: "I have been behind people who may not have [a cell phone] in front of them but they are talking into their helmet and they are distracted."

Dr. Johnson told this newspaper that legislation to ban talking or texting on a phone while driving could prove controversial.

"It may make sense in a sort of common sense way but the data when we look at other jurisdictions — it's very unclear whether it has saved lives."

He added: "I think it's the right thing to do given that we almost have to throw the kitchen sink at this problem that we are having.

"I don't think people use their cell phones here more than anywhere else; the problem is that we are so dense.

"We have such a high population of vulnerable people on cycles on the roads."

Attorney General Kim Wilson suggested yesterday that motorcycle licences should not be issued to anyone under 18 — a move she admitted would be unpopular with most people.

Shadow Transport Minister Michael Fahy said the auxiliary cycle test was currently too easy. "Are we allowing people to get licences that shouldn't get them?" he asked.