As I ride along Bermuda’s roads, I’m always thinking about what I’d do if I could make certain improvements around the island. One thing I’ve considered for years is whether Bermuda could use more traffic lights. I know, you’re probably thinking, there he goes again with his old conservative ways. But hear me out.

We have a lot of blind corners and junctions throughout Bermuda. Add the condition of some of our roads and the reality that some drivers and riders travel well beyond the speed limit, and I wonder whether strategically placed traffic lights could make certain areas safer.

We’ve installed speed bumps in different places across the island, and I understand the thinking behind them. But I’m not convinced they’re always achieving the desired result. In some cases, people on bikes seem more likely to treat them like jumps on a racetrack than something designed to make them slow down. So maybe we need to think differently.

I’m not suggesting we put traffic lights on every corner or pretend they’re going to solve Bermuda’s road safety problems. They won’t. Ultimately, many of the problems we experience on our roads still come down to the decisions we make as drivers and riders.

But could traffic lights help at some of our more dangerous junctions and blind intersections? Could they create more order in areas where drivers currently have to edge into traffic just to see what’s coming? Could they force vehicles to stop in places where just asking people to slow down clearly isn’t working?

Of course, there would be questions. Where would they go? Would they create unnecessary congestion? Would people actually obey them? And are there other traffic-calming measures that would work better? Those are all necessary questions.

But with the amount of conversation we continue to have about Bermuda’s roads, speeding and road safety, I don’t think any reasonable idea should be dismissed just because it’s something we’re not accustomed to.

Traffic lights aren’t going to solve everything. But if strategically placing a few more of them could make certain areas safer, improve the flow of traffic and potentially prevent an accident, I think the idea is worth considering.