Crashes are avoidable, says traffic cop

| 20/07/2017 | 33 Comments

(CNS): In addition to the fatal collision at the airport this week, there was another accident involving a pedestrian as well as two serious crashes over the weekend, police said. After another three people wound up in hospital with serious injuries just days after the police joined forces with the local Rotary clubs and the NRA to launch a new road safety campaign, Inspector Ian Yearwood, head of the RCIPS Traffic Management Unit said such accidents could be avoided if people paid more attention when driving.

“It appears that a lack of attention is a culprit all too often in such incidents, and we cannot stress enough the need for all road users to be conscious of what they are doing and to share the road. These are preventable tragedies,” Yearwood said.

Before the collision that killed Dr Vary Anetta Jones-Leslie on Monday, police were called to an incident on Saturday where a pedestrian was hit by a van. Just before 10:00 on Saturday night a white Toyota Hiace hit a man who stepped out onto Crewe Road. The driver stayed at the scene and identified himself to the police and provided his documents. The injured pedestrian was taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. No arrests were made but police continue their investigations into this collision.

Two further road smashes over the weekend landed more people in hospital who were lucky to escape with their lives. Early Saturday morning, 15 July, just before 3am, police, fire, and emergency personnel were called to a car fire on Shamrock Road near Watlers Estates in Bodden Town, where a 2005 Jaguar had veered off the road and slammed into a tree.

Fire crews were able to put out the blaze but it took them two hours to free the driver as they cut away the smashed vehicle piece by piece. The man is still in hospital with several fractures and serious injuries, though his life is not in danger.

Several hours later, just after 8am, another crash at the intersection of Crewe Road and Smith Road involved a Nissan Skyline and Hyundai Accent. Police said both drivers and a passenger in the Nissan Skyline were taken to hospital and both cars were very badly damaged.

Meanwhile, the Traffic Management Unit is continuing to seek witnesses to the fatal airport collision on Monday. Anyone who may have been at the airport on 17 July, in or near the parking lots or along Roberts Drive around 10:30am who saw anything that could assist traffic officers in their investigation is asked to call the TMU at 649-6254, the RCIPS Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS) to remain anonymous.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    put a a camera on a roundabout and fine all drivers who don’t use indicators……
    millions will be collected and drivers will learn a lesson.

  2. Anonymous says:

    If Cayman could get all bad drivers off the roads how would all the locals get around? Just saying.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    It would make a world of difference if people drove defensively, rather than aggressively. Are defensive driving skills not taught anymore?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Came down the Esterley Tibbetts Highway at lunchtime today with a cop a short distance behind me. An idiot came screaming past us on a motorcycle and the cop did nothing. Then later a truck pulls out in traffic by Kirk Office with no regard for highway traffic, vehicles all around switching lanes to avoid him. He then swerves between lanes causing chaos. Shortly after I pass him he almost rear ends me. Has “Reliable Industries” on the side of the truck. Watch out for it and give it room.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Lots of great feedback on here.

    I would add though, the cyclists in Cayman for the most part have an arrogance when on the road. Even when they are given a cycling lane they still choose to ride in the main road in the lane rightfully given to cars.

    This is a very frustrating aspect of driving here….the new bypass going to WB has 2 dedicated lanes next to the car lanes; one for pedestrians walking and the other for cyclists.

    Do the cyclists use their designated lane? HARDLY.

    • Anonymous says:

      I stopped cycling, precisely because I used the bike lanes where or verges where provided and cars kept driving in them…now I see a lot of stupid things as you do with both bikes and vehicles…the message has to be stop doing stupid shit and concentrate on driving/riding properly…

    • Anonymous says:

      It is not mandatory for cyclists to use a cycle lane, in the UK it is not recommended for cyclists exceeding 15 mph. Secondly, the cycle lanes are not regularly swept and are in fact a danger to cyclists with debris causing loss of tyre friction to the surface. Just what makes you believe there is a lane ‘rightfully given to cars’?

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  6. Anonymous says:

    yeah.. true…if poluce was to do there job and stop cell phone usage during driving?

  7. Anonymous says:

    Unfortunately, many drivers think they own the road and that they are invincible; talking on the phone, attending to children not in car seats, texting, listing to loud music, talking or just plain being an irresponsible idiot without concern for themselves or others and not driving with due care and attention. Many only learn to drive and get their License after they arrive here and many are bringing their aggressive habits of life and driving to the islands, plus our own homegrown idiots who seem to thing that once they are behind the wheel, it’s all about pressing the gas and darting between other cars in a rush to get ahead of others, by only seconds in some cases, but endangering lives at the time . It appears they do not believe in pressing the brake or slowing down to avoid an accident.

    Just witness an incident this morning. A driver was entering the main road from a side road and the driver on the main road just missed hitting the car, because they did not slow down to allow the entering car sufficient time to get on the main road.

    Seriously, we all must share the road and just because you think you have the right, doesn’t make it the right thing to do!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with the points in your first paragraph but if driver entering a main road from a side road, causes a driver to break to avoid them, then they are at fault for not waiting for a sufficient gap in the traffic to pull out safely.

  8. anonymous says:

    I’m not sure the RCIPS realizes the level of support from the general public to clamp down on dangerous driving. Cynics might say they couldn’t care less, but I reckon they need good management from the top and a will to succeed. I want to see police pulling idiots to the side of the road EVERY day of the year. Come on, officers, we’re depending on you to act on our behalf. Thank you.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Poor quality road surfaces, idiotic junction designs, cars on the road fit for the scrap yard due to a totally inadequate inspections protocol, absolute f#@*ing idiot drivers eating, drinking, or texting on their phones and speeding (and illegally parking on double yellows – e.g. every day at Hurleys — causing dangerous obstructions) plus a complete lack of visible traffic police = perfect storm for deaths on the road.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    It’s ok people crashes are totally avoidable and so is good police work.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Maybe they should start training their own. I remember not so long ago the police purchased 13 new patrol cars and within a year managed to smash 11 of them beyond repair.

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  12. Elvis says:

    There’s something in the phones lol, frikkin idiots all of them, I run and trust me it’s like taking your life in your hands even running against traffic, everyone is on their phone swerving to miss me,

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    • Anonymous says:

      Absolutely, I’ve seen more people checking their phones than ever before. Have the police gone lame on this again. Whoopy do they can sure spout how many offenders they catch during crack downs. How about cracking down all year. Can you guys do that or is it beyond your pay range or capability?

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  13. Anonymous says:

    All true…but there is also the decades of lack of consistent enforcement of the traffic laws too. Campaigns and appeals is NOT going to change the current habits!
    Consistent enforcement will be much more effective!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Well, 5.36pm let’s hope whoever is in charge of the budget allowing more recruitment drives by RCIPS gets their act together. All this island has for protection is the current Police Officers. There is no army here to help out with this ever increasing serious crime situation. More raids on these suspects are needed to eradicate the scum and deport the non Caymanians. Trouble is, most of these criminals are home grown.

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    • Anonymous says:

      So would having a police force that actually knows the rules of the road. They could start by not stopping people on the Cost U less roundabout. Many times I have had to swerve to avoid them.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    As long as there are smart asses behind the wheel I don’t think Cayman will ever be free of unnecessary motor vehicle accidents. As long as I can remember, and I’m going back to 1980, the Traffic Department were dealing with traffic accidents every single day! It was a full time job!
    Chief Insp. Yearwood is correct in saying that these accidents could be avoided. The trouble being, people do not learn from their mistakes. It’s got so bad now I feel drivers need to resit their driving test annually, both theory and driving, and mandatory after being involved in an accident, depending on the nature of such accidents. They are clearly incompetent. Cars should be restricted to 1600 engine size. Who needs a 5ltr engine on this island that’s no bigger than a penny! The cemeteries must be bursting at the seams with young lives wasted. If i returned as a Traffic Officer in RCIPS I could fill my book daily with Traffic offences. The stupidity on the roads is unbelievable.
    Such a beautiful island, the wealthiest in the Caribbean, being ruined by drink, drugs, gun crime, stabbings and burglaries. What a waste! Wake up Cayman, you are going down the pan………..So sad!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Good luck pulling a boat out with a crappy little 1600.

      • Anonymous says:

        You are not pulling a cruise ship 6.18pm! Not everyone has got a boat. Drivers need to prove they require a bigger size engine if the need is there. An 18O0 or a 2ltr engine 4 wheel drive will certainly pull a boat. Everyone does it here in the UK. A big engine goes not mean you are a better driver than anyone else.

    • Anonymous says:

      Engine size and speed bumps will not fix this problem If people want to speed they will. it comes down to the police and they need to do what they get paid to do

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      • Anonymous says:

        Accidents and road deaths are not down to the Police 10.26pm. They are down to the idiots that are driving these vehicles……period!! Police can only put in place speed ramps and cameras to catch the speeders. RCIPS cannot be on every street corner 24/7 hoping to catch some idiot and thoughtless boy racer, with no regard for people’s lives or indeed his own, with his heavy foot on the gas pedal. The judicial system needs to fine heavily and revoke the licenses of these people once convicted, together with the confiscation of their vehicles. Once this is done a few times I can guarantee there will be a reduction in these speed merchants.

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      • Anonymous says:

        How about the driving test people stop passing incompetent drivers in the first place.

    • Nunya says:

      Here’s an idea – the RCIPS could hire retirees as traffic cops. The money the earn from ticketing people could pay their salaries.

      …and probably pave some new roads. The could make a fortune alone on people not stopping at pedestrian crosswalks.

      The traffic issues are the same with the other issues we have in Cayman a complete lack of enforcement, people know it and therefore do fear consequences and just run amuck.

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      • anonymous says:

        “hire retirees as traffic cops” – brilliant idea!! We need to think outside the box if we are to effectively address the appalling driving standards on our roads. Police Commissioner, please consider the poster’s suggestion.

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    • anonymous says:

      While I agree with your comments in the main, you are mistaken about engine sizes being a contributory factor to poor driving and accidents. These days pretty much any engine size will allow for a top speed of over 80 mph, and you can drive dangerously at 30 mph, so it really comes down to the manner in which the vehicle is driven, not how powerful an engine it has. And believe me, today many a 1600cc (or smaller) engine-sized car can out accelerate a vehicle with a much bigger engine capacity. It all depends on the power-to-weight ratio and the engine’s state of tune. In fact, “fast” cars are often much safer to drive because they have superior braking and suspension. The problem I often see is poor driving standards, and incompetent drivers driving their cars in a manner that is both reckless and outside of the capabilities of the vehicles themselves. We also need 100% stricter traffic law enforcement, for example, fines for failing to indicate! Thanks for reading and drive safely (not the illiterate “Drive Safe”!).

  15. Anonymous says:

    Cayman has to many careless drivers man. Majority of the accidents that are happening now can be avoided. smh.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Of course… most of them are avoidable!!!! Here are 10 things that would help…
    1. Don’t drink and drive.
    2. Stick to the speed limits.
    3. Don’t tailgate (and allow extra space when roads are wet).
    4. Put on low beam lights during rainy weather.
    5. Don’t use any electronic devices when driving.
    6. Always use indicators!!!
    7. Don’t change lanes within a round-a-about
    8. Ensure vehicle is properly maintained.
    9. Don’t weave in and out of lanes.
    10. Use your mirrors!

    We can all do better!

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    • Anonymous says:

      And slow down and prepare to stop at crossings!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Here are a few more:
      – All cyclists need to ride on the correct (LEFT) side of the road… and never on the sidewalks.
      – All people should use seatbelts, young children should be in proper car seats, and nobody should be riding in the open (back of trucks).
      – STOP signs mean STOP! Too many people are rolling right through those, sometimes without even slowing down.
      – The RCIP really need to crack down on the vehicles with the illegal tint. Some of it is way too dark.

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