Crashes, hit-and-runs and DUIs continue
(CNS): With another 27 collisions over the weekend, including drunken smashes, out of control drivers and hit-and-runs, police were again raising concerns about rogue, drunk and unlicensed drivers on the roads. Following some of the smashes, several people landed in hospital, including a cyclist who was hit by a truck that left the scene and a truck driver who was involved in a crash with a Jaguar. Once again senior officers with the RCIPS reminded drivers that driving with a blood alcohol content of over twice the legal limit, in uninsured and unlicensed vehicles or leaving the scene of accidents are all unacceptable breaches of the road code.
“Incidents this weekend continue to show a disregard that some motorists have for traffic laws, and the RCIPS remains concerned about the potential for injury in such cases,” police said.
Some of the more serious collisions included an incident just before midnight on Sunday, when a Honda ACTY truck was involved in a crash with a Jaguar S-Type sedan on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. The truck overturned and the Jaguar sustained front end damage. The drivers of both vehicles and the passenger of the Jaguar were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment. The driver of the Honda underwent surgery and is currently still in hospital in stable condition. The driver and passenger of the Jaguar were treated and released.
On Saturday night around 10:00pm police were called to a report of a hit-and-run incident on Esterley Tibbetts Highway near to Lakeside Apartments. While travelling south, a cyclist was knocked off his bicycle by a light coloured van, which then drove off. The victim was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
Police also pulled over a white van which was speeding and swerving into the turning lane while officers were patrolling the West Bay Road in the early hours of Saturday. When the driver was breath tested he was found to be more than two times over the legal limit for alcohol and was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Further checks revealed that the truck was not licensed or insured.
“truck driver who was involved in a crash with a Jaguar”
Stop importing exotic animals to Cayman!!!
Enforcement of the traffic laws are the training that all countries need to get all drivers to drive in a safe manner. Done right it pays for itself with fines. Not done at all, like here in the Cayman islands its easy to see that It creates dangerous drivers and disrespect on the roads. You don’t have to figure it out or reinvent how its done. Just copy any other country in the world. But in Grand Cayman this is still way above what they call police here. Don’t expect it to change just because of the many crashes and deaths. Plan on it getting worse by the day.
This will continue and never change until they start enforcing the laws of the road.
Where is the proper public transportation system? Alden?
All bars and nightclubs that close at 2am or 3am should be made to contribute towards a late night bus service that gets drunks home safely. It should be part of their late night liquor licensing.
Society wants to move around and the car is an integral part of that desire. So instead of Policing the neighborhoods, you Police the communication routes. If you have about 3 permanent checkpoints built into the road system which can be manned as and when at the discretion of the Police, this might go a long way to discourage drivers to take risks.
1/ The roundabout just south of The Kimpton Hotel.
2/ Hurleys roundabout.
3/ Just before you enter Bodden Town.
It would not take a lot of resources, just the Political will to make it happen.
one of the biggest problems as well. no disrespect to the expats BUT. A lot of you could not get a license in your country. But some how manage to get one here? I know a man who worked in a warehouse. Who could not read or write, but he had a valid Cayman Islands Driver License. He’s an expat at that. You know has a Caymanian i failed my first driving test by stopping to close to a pedestrian … i could read and write tho … just saying. imagine the amount of people who are on the road like that. Can’t read and write, how you expect them to read a stop sign? #caymanproblems #cigdontcare
I know of a man at the Vehicle Licencing Center who drove like a madman even though he could probably read and write and he was not an expatriate.
“No disrespect, BUT” is always the opening gambit for every day Cayman racism…
There you go with your criticism of reading and writing skills, however have you actually checked your abilities lately? ‘Cos, damn…
Lol!
I don’t understand your special kind of ignorance, but I do admire your total commitment to it.
“reminded drivers that driving with a blood alcohol content of over twice the legal limit….”. What is wrong with the actual legal limit, or is it just a suggestion like Cayman Airways’ schedule used to be?
What happens when you put Jamaican and Honduran driving standards on a small island with punks who will have their daddy get them out of jail for free.
It blows my mind how obvious it is that when bars are packed and the car parks are full that most of these patrons are over the limit when leaving. It’s so so obvious.police could roll up , take car registrations, and patrol the areas to watch these cars. Boom… I would guarantee you 75% or more people leaving bars have had a few drinks and are over the limit. Especially on the weekends but not limited to. I’ve worked in a lot of bars here for over 15 years and let me tell all of you that I’ve seen off duty police officers,off duty firefighters , politicians and doctors amongst other prominent contributors to CNS blogs driving off after a feast of drink and taking their chances,, because you know why ? It’s too easy for them… Police should implement this and make it a tougher decision for the patron to decide whether or not to take a chance since the police have been patrolling the carparks making notes of car models and registration… With some proper policing skills , it’s easy to identify a vehicles timeframe at a particular establishment etc…if this was properly implemented on a daily/ weekend basis , trust me after a short while the numbers would come down on the DWI scale.
RCIP does not want to get ahead of the chaotic driving on our Island, otherwise they would have done so by now, but this would mean to worker smarter and possibly even harder.
You ever seen an officer walking around a parking lot giving out tickets for expired stickers or tinted windows? What could be easier than that? But instead, EVERY SINGLE time I drive past BT station there are 5 police cars parked outside. Why can’t they be out on the road enforcing the laws?
It seems posting accident reports and driving advice is not working. Mainly because the lawless dont give a sh*t . This strategy is not working so its time to adopt a new one.
Here’s a few ideas:
1. How about giving speeders points on their licence. If they are caught twice they lose their licence and have to resit a driving test before getting it back.
2. Breathalize anyone involved in an accident.
3. Create a data base that links with the Driver Licencing Department to capture expired vehicle licences and owners of said vehicles.
4. Make drivers resit their driving test if they lose their licence through DUI.
5. Visible Police presence on the roads at all times.
The police need a strategy that combines tougher penalties with a focus on changing behaviour through driver education. This is not a quick fix but it will have more of an impact than the status quo.
Those involved in any significant accidents where police attend are regularly breathalyzed. Those unconscious are unable to give consent and cannot be breathalyzed.
1 the drivers without licence do not care as it will not affect them.
2 they already do how do you think that drivers are charged for DUI.
3 that would work seen it in the Uk.
Is this all in your head
RCIPS are asleep at the switch and things will get worse over the holidays.
Stop blaming police for reckless behaviour, this is why you have to be 17 to get a license and go through an annoying amount of procedures before you get that “privelage”. Then when police have road blocks everywhere because of idiots on the road, you get angry. Drive like your grandma is crossing the road at all times. (Im not a police) I just lost way too many friends due to recklessness.
You have seen this where and reported it, or is this in your head?
^dunce
Imagine what the normal rolling weekend tally might be if the police were actually doing their daily job in the community and not being dispatched in hindsight to crash sites.
27 in one weekend, even by Cayman standards, that is crazy.
I’d guess on any given weekend, 25% of cars shouldn’t be on the road, either through inebriation, no license, no insurance, no inspection, no sticker, or just plain unroadworthy through bald tyres/lights faulty/cracked windshield/complete POS.
Out of several thousand drivers license holders thats not much