Speed and booze fuelling road crashes
(CNS): Despite the summer decrease in traffic volume, the police had another weekend full of road smashes, with 26 motor vehicle accidents being reported since Friday. Several were serious, and while no one was killed, police said in most cases speed and alcohol were to blame, as well as a lack of attention by drivers and impatience behind the wheel. The smashes are mounting, despite a new awareness campaign asking people to be more considerate on the road, which so far appears to have missed the mark.
“Despite the fact that fewer people are on island at this time of year, we are still seeing a number of serious accidents,” said Sgt Lenford Butler of the Traffic Management Unit.
“While none of these have resulted in life-threatening injuries, there is still an alarming trend of drivers continuing to allow either alcohol or impatience to impair their judgment behind the wheel. All of us have a duty to keep our roads safe, including passengers, who can often influence what is happening in a vehicle, and also regularly suffer serious injuries when accidents occur,” the traffic cop added.
Pointing to some of the more serious collisions, the RCIPS said the reports began on Friday evening around 8pm, when a grey Kia Optima was struck on Town Hall Drive near Alfresco’s Restaurant in West Bay by a white truck coming from Powell Smith Drive. The crash caused minor damage to the bumper and left tyre of the car but the truck driver refused to stop. The Kia driver followed the truck all the way to South Sound Cemetery but then lost sight of it. Police are now looking for that truck, which had a dark-coloured hood.
Then, just before 9pm a white Toyota Starlet and white Isuzu truck collided on Crewe Road east of Lindhurst Avenue, which caused the truck to flip over. Both occupants of the truck, a man and woman, were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital with minor injuries and later discharged. The driver of the car was not harmed in the incident. A large crowd had gathered at the scene and the road was closed by police in order to conduct investigations. It was reopened shortly after 10PM.
In the early hours of Saturday morning (29 July) at around 5:00am police were called to a single-vehicle smash on Homestead Crescent in Bodden Town. A white Honda Civic had run off the road into the bushes and emergency personnel found the male driver outside the car, bleeding from injuries but conscious. He was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he underwent surgery and is now in stable condition.
Early on Sunday morning (30 July) the Cayman Islands Hospital notified the police that two injured men had arrived at the Accident and Emergency Unit after being involved in a car smash. Officers learned that the two men, both in their early twenties, had been involved in a collision sometime before 2:00 that morning on Sparky Drive in the vicinity of Lancaster Crescent while in a red Honda Accord.
A white car was also said to be in the area at the same time and police implied the men may have been racing at high speed, which is believed to have been a contributing factor to the crash. Officers recovered the red Honda from the scene of the crash and are now investigating what happened.
Police attended two more road smashes on Sunday caused by drivers overtaking. Just before 4:30pm on North Side Road near Further Road, a Kia travelling from Rum Point lost control while overtaking a Ford and collided into a coconut tree on the side of the road. The driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The next accident happened at 9:00 Sunday evening in Bodden Town on Shamrock Road near Trumbach Road. While attempting to overtake a truck that had stopped in front of it, a Suzuki Vitara collided with an oncoming Honda. Both the driver and passenger in the Honda were taken to hospital, while the driver of the Suzuki, a 39-year-old man from George Town, was arrested for driving with an expired licence and other traffic-related offences.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Traffic Management Unit at 649-6254. Anonymous tips can be provided to the RCIPS Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777, the Miami-based call centre of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS), or online here.
Category: Crime, Local News, Police
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To all the courier scooter riders, question is are you being paid by the package or by the hour ? You guys ride like you just stole it.
To add to that, Water, telco, taxi,CIG and all other private company’s race up and down the road on a daily basis .CUC vehicles are the only ones that seem to follow the road law
You have not lived in Bermuda to be shocked by the number of daily accidents. It is mind blowing. That is why I could only last there for 1 year, despite a very good job and compensation.
I like the new race by Jose and the airport I get to go really fast and see who can merge first thanks NRA nice 1/4 mile lol
I think for the size of this island, Cayman must be one of the top countries in the world for motor vehicle accidents. It’s absolutely appalling! I am convinced that these people have serious mental issues! They don’t need another vehicle on the road, they can smash their car up alone. Poles jump out in front of them as do trees. They also get a free car wash in the sea. They clearly cannot drive. They are often under the influence of drink or drugs and are so clever they can text and make calls on their cell phones too. All this while driving 100mph! Such talent!
You are obviously looking for an early grave you road hogs. Trouble is, you take innocent people with you. Robbing families of their children and parents. Pay attention on the roads and DON’T drink or take stupid drugs and get behind a wheel of a car. This is not a Formula 1 race track.
I beg you Commissioner Byrne, please revoke these idiots licence for many years. They are suicidal and a drain on the Traffic Departments resources.
5 :37pm , you missed rolling a spliff while driving .
Nah, it is Bermuda.
Today on WB road a woman stood at a junction and flagged down a minibus. The bus stop was just a few yards away and the minibus stopped there too! Ridiculous!
All true…but so is the fact that we are now reaping the results of decades of little to no real consistent Police enforcement of traffic laws. In many cases Police drivers set some very poor examples, as do NRA and other “official” drivers. And don’t even mention the buses.
Now figure up in your mind how many traffic infractions you witness everyday and now how often does one see a Police car pull over anyone??
Baloney. Driver recklessness and stupidity can’t be blamed on the police.
But when the police see infractions and carry on regardless (which they always do) how can that be blamed on anyone else? When Police Cars are also using the left lane to turn right on roundabouts who does that leave to set an example on the roads and enforce the road code?
7.05, sadly a lack of enforcement or Police visibility means that certain people (a majority I would say) think the rules do not apply to them, and “what does it matter, I won’t be stopped anyway?”
I didn’t even know a vehicle would run off speed and booze. I typically fuel mine with gasoline.
But you sir, are not typlical.
Typlical? Love it!
26 reported impacts may be shocking to some, but that stat neglects the colloquial reality of 75 “near misses” per hour. When will the RCIPS read the two pages of Traffic Law infractions, understand the fines that already apply for various infractions, and begin to enforce these Laws (and generate revenue)? We’ve heard decades of deflection from RCIPS spokespeople, but ultimately no other agency is in charge of this enforcement.
If taxi drivers didn’t charge extra after midnight, or charge you ridiculously expensive amounts to get home safely at any hour, a lot less accidents from drunk driving would occur. Why not test it out?
Try being charged CI$92.00 after 11 pm for a taxi ride -South Church Street to Savannah Newlands .
You should have gotten their licence player number and reported them.
And put meters in the taxis!!! Why should they be free to charge whatever they feel like…
Those that recklessly endanger everyone’s lives and attempt to justify their wake on society with complaints about taxi pricing are the same people spending their paychecks dining out, paying cover charges, and buying booze at restaurants and bars. If you think taxi pricing is the problem then you’ve got a priority misalignment so severe you shouldn’t be deemed to be mature enough to be served.
It is a factor…one of many.
When we see RCIPS & NRA vehicles not following the road code what do they expect? Over the weekend I followed NRA #610 from the Butterfield roundabout to the Salt Creek roundabout. Not ONCE did the driver use an indicator. Same with police cars. The RCIPS marine trailer does not appear to even be licensed or have lights. WTF?
sooo @ 9:32am to answer your first question, I expect people to still follow the road rules, despite what others are doing.
I don’t know about you, but I know what is right from what is wrong and I do things with this in mind, not a “yea well Jo did it too, so I though I could” kind of mentality.
I thought that was for children and not grown men and women with a sane and functioning mind (maybe you don’t fall into this category)….
I personally don’t care if the police or the queen don’t use their indicators, it annoys the sh** out of me yea, but I still use mine because I KNOW ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO and I expect others to do the same thing.
Oh you’re a prize dummy amongst many aren’t you. Do you understand why indicators are required on motor vehicles and trailers?
Oh yes, to warn others of your intentions and to avoid the possibility that collisions can be avoided by suddenly stopping or turning vehicles. Your indicators, whilst obviously most welcome, will not stop another stupid idiot travelling without them and causing a serious accident.
As the original writer I can assure you that I ALWAYS indicate – changing lanes, roundabouts, all junctions, etc. Even when there is no other vehicle anywhere in sight.
All I was expressing was that these persons of authority should be setting an EXTREME good example. They maybe a few more persons would adopt good habits.
In other words, how can RCIPS give a driver a ticket if they are doing the same wrong thing themselves? How can the NRA provide direction on road usage when they do not do so?
I find it extremely frustrating to see this occurring.
And in other news. “Sun makes things hot.”
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
police…policeeee need to crack down on cell phone usage?????
26 ‘accidents’ in one weekend… absolutely ridiculous and absolutely awful! Just think that each one of these likely creates issues with insurance, traffic delays and inconvenience for other motorists, and increased mileage and gasoline for all of the responding emergency vehicles. Of course, some of them even resulted in serious injuries.
There is no way that an island this size, with speed limits ranging from 25-50 mph, should have 26 accidents in one weekend. We shouldn’t even have 26 in 1 month!
One thing I have observed over the past few weeks is the increased number of people who seem to be sending texts or checking e-mails while driving… extremely dangerous behaviour.
yep nothing like a bottle of rum in ya belly and 700 hp under ya hood; cruising east end. or…….a motorcycle so you drive at 50mph between the lines of cars. When RCIP gonna do something about those “Hell’s Angel” riders?
Local drivers (especially bus drivers )have no respect for the laws. And why should they? There has never been and never will be any kind of serious and worthwhile enforcement of the traffic laws. Combine that with a culture of disrespect and corruption and this is what you get. The police can get more traffic cops, start writing tickets and BOOM!!! Pissed off voters. End of tickets or end of MLA’s free ride. End of story.
Happy voters more like….we’ve been asking for sustained traffic enforcement for over a decade! We need Voters to lobby their District MLAs to amend the flaws in the Traffic law: while pointing out offenses, it does not necessarily prescribe all penalties that RCIPS could use as deterants. It needs an overhaul if we are to make our society safer and more enjoyable for all – including visitors!
Well, I’m glad that our police have finally discovered what factors are causing the madness and mayhem on our roads. We were all wondering.
We wonder if they can name the agency in charge of Traffic Law enforcement? Clearly an ongoing befuddlement!
Many thousands of drivers ritually drive home from our booze and drug-fueled gatherings, confident that there is still no Traffic Dept or functional anti-Impaired driving strategy in the Cayman Islands. It’s time for a more serious approach given the widespread danger to the public, and the sustained and/or escalating lawlessness in all districts. How long are we planning to ignore this serious public safety issue?
Maybe allow more places to sell booze and longer drinking hours isn’t working. We need to raise the speed limits too. Dart?
My joke. Not funny. 🙁
Check this out.
Booze is the #1 contributing factor for not only vehicular accidents, but also physical altercations on these premises. Yet somehow it remains legal to distribute.
Marijuana contributes to none of this, but we have a high number of the population being incarcerated for a plant, addding to the strain on the prison.
Then they wonder why we can’t get a grip on our crime.
Idiot, any drug, alcohol included, causes impaired function and there are plenty of examples of serious accidents being due to weed and alcohol.
Did you read the headline? Booze and speed are contributing to accidents, not marijuana. I suggest you climb back into whatever hole you came out of.
Are you just arguing for fun? If marijuana was legal and as freely available as alcohol, it would be the cause. Idiot.
Saying it doesn’t make it so. You’re just spewing nonsense with no evidence for any of it. Classic fool you are.
Looks like weed make you aggressive… and rude.
You need to really lay off the alcohol, and it’s too bad we can’t fix stupid.
Agree completely 6:30am. Thank you for stating the truth that so many want to ignore because they just loooveeee the alcohol.
Everyone on this island is extremely friendly and courteous… until they get behind the wheel of a car. Why can’t that kindness just translate to road behaviour? Be courteous, use your turn signals and take your time. No need to speed here, just gonna be quicker to stop at the next bottleneck. Your life and the lives of others on the road are more important than your 9 am meeting. Just leave earlier.
Decrease in traffic? Where are they measuring this, East End? I ventured out on the road for some lunch at 1pm today and thought people were doing Christmas shopping. There was gridlock everywhere in town. Are they making this up?
Where are the cops at lunch time when stunned idiots try to change lanes on roundabouts? I guess they’re out to lunch too.
decrease in traffic as the schools are out
Due to the deplorable driving in Jamaica, the government there has launched several safety campaigns in an attempt to arrest the situation there. It is terrible. As a Jamaican, I’m afraid to say that the same poor driving habits that occur back home are finding them way here.
So Anonymous 9:07 pm are you suggesting that Cayman Government shouldn’t follow Jamaica driving campaign , but do something different like your second driving offence, you then have to take a new driving test . I think that would be the best for everyone , if you don’t follow traffic Laws and road rules .
that’s really it isn’t it. take a driving test if you can’t drive.
That would require a Traffic Dept
Is there a connection? Hmmmmm 🙂