Booze continues to fuel road smashes

| 02/10/2017 | 57 Comments

(CNS): Drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol remain the main cause of the high numbers of collisions on Cayman’s roads, police have said, adding that this was compounded last weekend by the wet weather. Officers faced another three days of trouble on the roads, with 22 crashes reported to police from 29 September to 1 October, some of which were very serious. Inspector Ian Yearwood, head of the Traffic Management Unit, urged drivers to stop drinking and driving. 

“While we know that a fair amount of rain in recent weeks has played a role in the number of collisions, the fact remains that most of the serious crashes appear to be alcohol-related,” he said  “Drinking and driving continues to be a threat to the safety of all road users. We continue to ask all drivers to be responsible; you are not only risking your own safety, but that of everyone on the road.”

One of the more serious smashes this weekend involved a three-car pile-up on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway Saturday morning, after a silver Honda Accord veered into oncoming traffic, causing a Suzuki Swift to swerve and collide into a nearby wall. The Accord then collided with a Honda Inspire that was traveling behind the Suzuki Swift, causing injury to the driver of that care.

The 30-year-old driver of the Honda Accord driver, who is from Bodden Town, fled the scene but turned himself in to police the following day. The woman driving the Honda Inspire was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and was later released.

On Saturday afternoon a 23-year-old driver from West Bay was arrested for DUI when his Honda Civic crashed into a tree on the side of Boatswain Bay Road in West Bay. Two passengers in the vehicle both received minor injuries to the head and the driver was also injured. All of the people involved were treated at the hospital and released. The vehicle sustained major front-end damage.

At around 10:20pm Saturday night a white Suzuki Swift travelling along South Sound Road veered off the road into a tree, causing major damage. The 31-year-old-woman from George Town who was driving sustained injuries to her head and was taken to the hospital, where she remains, though her injuries are not life-threatening. She was warned for intended prosecution for refusing to provide a specimen.

Meanwhile, the woman who was injured in a serious collision in Bodden Town on Sunday night and rescued by fire crews remains in hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. She was a passenger in a silver BMW which collided into a wall on Shamrock Road hear Watlers Estates. The driver, a 25-year-old-man from Bodden Town, also sustained minor injuries and he was warned by the police of their intention to prosecute.

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Comments (57)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    They are asking everyone to be responsible? OMG, that is the most ridiculous thing I have heard recently. How about they start putting up road blocks and checking for such things? There are no consequences for driving drunk as there are no officers on the road to catch you. Why don’t you ask all of the uninsured and unlicensed drivers to stay off the roads too, LOL. How about you get up off your ass in that car and do something to discourage all of this behaviour.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Whilst I believe that a proper run public transportation system with designated bus stops is desperately needed, I am afraid that many would still not take advantage of such service being available. In contrast to many European countries where a public transportation system is the norm and used by many on a daily basis, in Cayman it appears that walking to a bus stop or standing at a bus stop waiting is beneath a large percentage of the population.

    Even the kids are not expected to walk home from a school bus stop and instead are dropped off right in front of their house. Go figure!

  3. Anonymous says:

    There is no public transport system! A hundred self-employed bus drivers who clutter the “routes” all day but all leave the streets at dark is not a system. Taximeters were mandated in the 2003 Revision of the Traffic Law (CNS – you may check it out). The failure has been the lack of the associated & required Regulations to oversee fare structures, calibration of meters, etc. Failures, failures! Public service is run by morons!

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Yet the powers here decide to allow alcohol to be sold at new gas station too?
    Did we not already have enough?

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  5. Anonymous says:

    If you think it’s bad for driving skills, you should see what it does for families!

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  6. Anonymous says:

    I think more people need to say it on this thread so the stupid people who let the taxis form a monopoly or whatever it is will see this: BRING DOWN THE COST OF TAXIS AND ALLOW UBER. A 15 min taxi ride costs $27 for me after midnight. That’s one person. That fills up half their tank and they barely use any gas on that ride. It’s unacceptable. Whatever happened to that flex service that was like uber?? Sounds like caymanians were about to get jobs and the the taxis blocked them. Hmmmm

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    • Anonymous says:

      Agree. Uber is great!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Taxis cost money everywhere – try booking an Uber for less than $27 in any city they operate! Rationalizing ritualistic impaired driving on the grounds of sparing just $50, after spending a multiple of that amount, drinking and partying on the town, is totally deranged thinking. We need to criminalize impaired driving so that losers that risk all our lives over 50 bucks go to jail!

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      • Anonymous says:

        You are obviously a taxi driver.

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      • Jotnar says:

        Whilst I don’t disagree that it’s putting the cart before the horse to complain about the cost of a taxi ride in relation to the amount you have spent on drink, that is no defence for the amount taxis cost. What about those who are not intoxicated, or have drunk a couple of beers but prefer not to drive having drunk at all? It’s certainly no basis for your completely evidence less assertion that Uber costs more than $27 in any city in which they operate. Really? Every city? Irrespective of ride distance – which here are pretty short. BS.

      • Anonymous says:

        Online you can actually calculate an uber ride… so I did one with the exact distance I would be traveling. It costs a whopping $15 in Los Angeles. That was going off of an 8 mile ride. The one I referred to was a 6 mile ride. I didn’t realize we were also paying duty on taxi rides here.

      • notataxidriver says:

        the only time ive spent equivalent to 27KYD on uber was on a lift from london city center to gatwick – nearly a 40 min car journey

  7. The Cold Hard Truth says:

    What’s amazing is that when someone loses their driver’s licence through drink or careless driving they are allowed to have their licence reinstated without any driver education.
    Chances are, if they were a bad driver when they lost their licence they will be even worse after a year or two of not driving.

    It should be mandated that driver education is a requirement for getting your licence reinstated. This would ensure that bad drivers are not thrown back out to continue their crappy road skills after a period of not driving.

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  8. Slacker says:

    A couple of decades ago we required all vehicles to have or be retrofitted with seat belts. We could do the same by requiring all vehicles to have breathalyzers on the steering wheel which would require the driver to blow into, before the engine starts. You can also have them programmed to require a fresh breath every X amount of time. Expensive? Yes. But also effective.

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  9. West bay Premier says:

    I think that we should be looking at our own RESPONSIBILITY when we drink alcohol.
    Remember that after you consume alcohol and gets behind the car wheel and drive and kill someone , you’re the one that is Responsible . Not the car or the alcohol .

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  10. Really? says:

    Does anyone know whether drinking and driving is a criminal offense in the Cayman Islands? Wondering if anyone can shed some light on this… For some reason, I do not believe that it is.

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    • Anonymous says:

      HA! Love it.

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    • West bay Premier says:

      I think you should ask your Lawyer that question, or don’t drink and drive then you will not need to know if it’s a criminal offence . For the safety of yourself and the rest of the people of Cayman Islands don’t drink and drive .

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    • Anonymous says:

      DUI = Traffic offense. Check the law ppl

      • Anonymous says:

        The fact that it is a traffic offence is the biggest issue surrounding events influenced by drink driving.

        If it were a criminal offence it would be taken seriously, by all.

  11. West bay Premier says:

    You heard what the Police said, stop drinking alcohol and driving or face the consequences. What do you think the consequences could be ? There are many .

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  12. Anonymous says:

    What continues to fuel the unroadworthy/unlicensed cars on the road?

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Get your taxi pirates replaced with professionals and this will go away. Also any of you RCIP or CIGs ever think of educating drivers?

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  14. Anonymous says:

    And it’s not even Christmas yet?! Smh…

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  15. Unison says:

    Always we know the problem that causes practically ALL domestic disputes, violence, assaults, accidents, broken homes and relationships … yet every night, we allow it to be sold and consumed!

    I know this sound a bit draconian, but what if we took away all the alcohol, stop it from being sold for several months …

    I THINK WE WOULD BE SURPRISED AT REDUCTION IN CRIMES

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    • Kremlin save us says:

      That is a big problem. Crime pays. There is no profit for a totalitarian government in a safe haven.

      A hypocritical government that tries to rule your every thought, i.e on one hand controlling the false propaganda about medical marijuana claiming it is harmful to a persons health, and yet on the other hand regulating marijuana to terminally ill patients. This government is useless, mainly because it is a failing democracy that we have to thank for this.

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    • Anonymous says:

      They tried that in the us.
      Organized crime and gangs were the result.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Unison and 8.55, they also tried that in parts of Eastern Europe, all that happened was that bootleg poison manufacturing went up, deaths as a result went up and smuggling increased. Education is what’s needed. That and an understanding that getting bombed does nothing good for your health or you relationship.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Sort the taxi issue to help with this issue.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Get the taxi laws in order …. open the market up and require meters. Get that right and DUI will reduce.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    No shit Sherlock! Pray tell us what you plan to do about it? If you think an eloquent statement of the bleedin’ obvious will stop it, you need a couple of weeks at Scotland Yard in Novice Constable 101 training.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    Do what they do in the US and prosecute, as well as hold civilly liable, those selling liquor to drivers who go on to cause accidents while drunk.

    And er I think DUI is a criminal offense already, 7.34pm.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Where is a decent and affordable public transportation system? Some of Cayman’s problems are so easy to resolve, but status quo is the name of the game. Even the bloody judges are drinking and driving.

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  21. The undertaker says:

    And now gas stations to sell alcohol. Certainly a sad state of affairs. Where can I buy shares in a funeral home?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Most people who go to bars, restaurants and clubs, drive and consume booze at the locations then get into their vehicle and drive again. Whereas people who buy from liquor stores or gas stations have not consumed any and are most likely taking it home to drink

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    • Anonymous says:

      Until there is home delivery of alcohol, almost everyone who drinks has to drive to buy it no matter where they get it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Check with churchill’s. You remind me of the great one up north.

  22. Anonymous says:

    When licenses are granted to gas stations to sell alcohol this is what happens. Some idiot going home after a rough day. Stops at the gas station for gas. Sees the beer or wine or rum. Picks up a bottle. Starts drinking and death on the road. Ridiculous

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    • Anonymous says:

      There is no difference from driving to a liquor store or driving to a gas station to purchase lquour. The difference is just don’t drink and drive.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t blame the gas station/s. You are dealing with a self control issue, if you believe that every woman & man that has a ‘rough day’ buys booze because they see it .How do they ‘See’ the wine,beer and rum from the fuel pump island? People make the choice & decision to buy it before they pulled in to buy fuel. They could have just as easily driven to a retail liquor store to buy it during regular hours. They can also just as easily chosen to not buy any at all and go home to drink bottled water.

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  23. Anonymous says:

    We are not serious about drunk driving. I was a young man in Britain many years ago when they began to enforce the drink driving laws. We learned very quickly. The cops sat outside pubs in darkened cars and waited for people to drive off. If they didn’t put their lights or indicators on immediately, the cops stopped them and breathalyised them. The message got through very very fast. Most people in Britain are terrified to drink and drive. But our culture here is pathetic about ALL law enforcement….tinted windows, speeding, unleashed dogs, litter etc etc. What say you Police Chief?

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  24. Anonymous says:

    Incredibly the RCIPS successfully diagnose the problem, yet persist on leaving these drunks to pilot themselves into walls, trees, and other innocent road users. Whose fault is that? Where is the traffic department to stop them and protect the public? When will our MLAs do what needs to be done and criminalize DUI?!?

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    • Anonymous says:

      If you are arrested for DWI and you can afford a lawyer or other means to thwart justice then huge delays can be granted, this insures that the arresting officers lose reports or leave the island, or can,t remember. The breathalzer will be found to be wrong . If you have an accident and are drunk, it is best to leave the scene -wait until you sober up – get with your lawyer to make up a story. Again drag it out for ever. Remember, leaving the scene is much better than a DWi.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I get where you’re coming from, but the fault is the driver’s. Every time. No exceptions. Could the police do more? Absolutely. Should they do more? Of course! But so could have the drivers’ friends, family, bartender, even a stranger noticing an intoxicated person attempting to get in their car to drive. Ultimately though, it is the driver who is at fault, regardless of opportunities for others to intervene.

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