Police alarmed by number of drunks on road

| 20/12/2017 | 45 Comments

(CNS): As the holiday season gets underway, the RCIPS says Cayman’s traffic troubles are already getting worse and over the past ten days enforcement has seen an increase in drunk drivers and motorists being caught breaking numerous road laws. There were 31 arrests during those ten days, 18 of which were for driving under the influence, and police have said this degree of intoxicated people behind the wheel is of major concern. Police said that several drivers were almost two and a half times over the legal limit and too many don’t see drinking and driving as a big deal. Officers have also made multiple arrests for people leaving the scene of an accident because drivers were drunk at the time of the collisions.

On Thursday, 15 December, near Kings Roundabout in George Town a 28-year-old man was arrested for perverting the course of justice after he misled police about a collision with another vehicle. A 43-year-old George Town man involved in the smash had left the scene by the time the police arrived at the crash location. He was located a short time later by police and also arrested for attempting to pervert the course of justice, suspicion of DUI, and leaving the scene of the accident. Both men are now on police bail. A 32-year-old woman at the scene, also from George Town, was warned for prosecution on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice, but was not taken into custody because of medical circumstances.

“This one case highlights a lot of the problems we are dealing with, where people not only choose to drive while under the influence, but then attempt to evade the consequences of their actions, even with assistance from others,” said Acting Chief Inspector Everton Spence.

“It also demonstrates the perception some members of the public have that driving under the influence is no big deal. This could not be further from the truth. It is a very big deal and can have severe consequences. Although it is possible you may drive under the influence without incident, it is never worth the risk,” the senior traffic officer warned.

In another suspected DUI case around midnight Monday, 18 December, on West Bay Road, several people were injured. A Ford Explorer and a black Nissan Skyline collided near the Villas of the Galleon. When police arrived the driver of the Explorer, a 33-year-old man from George Town, was arrested on suspicion of DUI. The passengers of the Explorer, a man and a woman, and the driver of the Skyline were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital. The female passenger of the Explorer and the driver of the Skyline were treated for non-life-threatening-injuries and subsequently released but the male passenger of the Explorer remains in hospital.

While booze continues to be a major problem, it’s not the only issue in the arrests over the last ten days. Motorists who were driving without insurance, registration or a valid driver’s licence were also arrested.

The RCIPS said that it continues its efforts to improve road safety through education, enforcement and looking at the engineering of the roads. Officers are conducting high visibility patrols and traffic stops across the islands with the aim of reducing traffic collisions and cracking down on drunk driving and other traffic offenses.

The service has resourced a newly-enhanced Traffic and Roads Policing Unit to carry out this strategy throughout the year, but given the increase in alcohol consumption and speed-related accidents during the holiday season, efforts have intensified under Operation Winter Guardian this month. The RCIPS is also partnering with the National Drug Council and the Share the Road Campaign to educate the public about greater road safety and encourage all road users to enjoy the holiday season safely and legally.

“We will intensify our traffic operations as the season continues,” said ACI Spence. “I want to urge those who have been irresponsible in their driving to change their behaviour before they lose their licence for a year, or worse, have a serious accident with lifelong consequences,” he added.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: , , , ,

Category: Local News

Comments (45)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    The public haven’t noticed any effort from RCIPS or NDC this season…is their idea of an interdiction effort, to post a blind comment of disapproval to their 12 Facebook followers?!? How can our so-called experts continue to deliver so poorly? Where are the police? Dirt bikes wheelying with impunity all day again yesterday…

  2. Santa says:

    Let’s also solve the problem and make the alternatives plentiful and reasonably priced. It is because of the Taxi cartel that we don’t have a nightly bus service and reasonable and plentiful taxis. In other countries it makes zero sense to use your car.

    6
    1
  3. Anonymous says:

    Police alarmed…lol…I’m alarmed there are no traffic police not one, zip, nada. I recall the Governor announcing that the Traffic Department would be reintroduced, like seriously we got rid of one of the most important Departments and still have over 400 officers. So where the hell are they besides hanging out at bars? Can we say huge law suit coming to the RCIP and Governor as ignorance of the law is no excuse…just saying. Get your asses out there and do the damn job we the people are paying you to do!!

  4. West bay Premier says:

    Now look at how long that Police has been talking and trying to prevent drunk driving and it is worse today than when they first started. I think that the people see that the Police is all talk and no action. So I have to believe that the best thing that the Police can do for their own and the public safety is when these drunk drivers are cought driving drunk lock them up and let them wait until they can get a court date .

    1
    1
  5. Anonymous says:

    The Keystone cops need to get out more, as it’s pretty much the same every week of the year.

    7
    1
  6. Anonymous says:

    Traffic violations must be enforced 24/7 not just occasionally. Imagine how much more ALARMED you will be if you did not announce when you will be enforcing the Law(s)

  7. Anonymous says:

    Jail, very long ban and cars crushed. The cost of driving drunk must be thought to be higher than the costs of a taxi. That is the only way one can deal with those with such a selfish cowardly mindset.

    10
    6
    • Anonymous says:

      …or the “nil cost” of abstaining from alcohol while driving – an often ignored and valid choice!!

      • Anonymous says:

        Given the sort of people we are a talking about that point is not gong be persuasive. We are talking about the weakest minded most selfish group in society and only firm punishment will affect them.

    • Anonymous says:

      Ban alcohol for a year,cthat should help.

    • Anonymous says:

      Tired of seeing then drive on the sidewalk to overtake? I wish I could buy a “kit car”

  8. Anonymous says:

    hello police….almost everyone i cayman is driving whilst using cell phones????!!!????

    17
    1
  9. Anonymous says:

    lock um.up!?? they dont need to be on the road ……..no excuses

    7
    1
  10. Anonymous says:

    Yup and you can’t even call in if you see someone swerving left to right all over the road because a huge amount of cars DON”T HAVE LICENSE PLATES!

    18
  11. Anonymous says:

    Living near Hurley’s, and therefore a major pinch point in the traffic system, how is it I am not seeing regular roadblocks???

    There are so many vehicles on the road being driven illegally or just plain badly. It really isn’t hard to spot is it?!?!

    Just yesterday I had a bus driver pull out in front of me on a roundabout. When I pass this vehicle full of tourists returning to GT, driver on phone. He then proceeds to drive at about 60 in a 40 zone…wtf???

    Crappy cars with colour changing lights…wtf???

    Cars on the road that have half their front ends missing from old crashes…wtf?!?

    Cars with stickers from vintage years like 2014…wtf?!?! You even see idiots selling them with “3 years back license” in their ads.

    Bar car parks full, yet empty around closing time and nobody is stopped…wtf?!?!

    So, I don’t get how it is possible the police are alarmed, nobody else is, as they’ve put up with these morons for a long time.

    28
    • Anonymous says:

      a lot of this could be dealt with by walking parking lots or walking along the road during rush hour when traffic is bumper to bumper, but it takes some willingness to get things done….I really suspect that these days a lot of the officers are not really all that interested to make this Island better and safer for everyone……..

    • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

      Not to mention the loud and thumping afterparties that occur in the parking lots until hours after the bar or club has closed. If they were sitting there to chill for a while before driving home, I’d say that was a good thing, but what I see are bottles passing around.

      It’s risky driving this time of year (or any other, really)

    • Anonymous says:

      We don’t live in Disneyland………wtf.

      2
      1
  12. Anonymous says:

    I can remember not so many years ago witnessing (my apartment overlooked it) the aftermath of one Christmas party where a large group of well-connected young Caymanians piled out of a fairly well-known restaurant on West Bay Road. They then started racing their expensive cars round the parking lot and there were at least two fist fights. RCIPS didn’t want to know. It seems there are two levels of enforcement being operated here and a certain section of the population is untouchable. At this time every year there is always a round of high-profile Christmas p*** ups – all RCIPS need to do is make a list and wait outside the venues.

    As for the roadblocks? What a joke! I can remember RCIPS used to block West Bay Road just outside TI Resort – you could sit in the lobby bar and watch it. All people did as they approached was pull into one of the parking lots (quick cut through Snooze Lane was one easy option) to have a few more drinks until the cops got bored and went away.

    11
  13. Anonymous says:

    It is not surprise more drunk on road as it is more people living in cayman island!

    1
    10
  14. Anonymous says:

    DUI is terrible for sure. The lack of any meaningful and consistent traffic law enforcement is also terrible…and the occasional “crackdowns” are pathetic responses!

    10
  15. Anonymous says:

    There are certain people that feel that it is their entitlement to drink & drive. Every year it is the same thing. Until the police start treating everyone the same, hence not letting their friends, relatives, baby mamas, etc. off, this will continue.

    People complain about the price of a taxi, it doesn’t matter it they were cheap or free, some people would never use them!

    I know an ex-police officer who drinks and drive. He goes on about ‘his days’ as a police officer and how if he was still a police officer he would clean up the streets! Talk about hypocrite!

    Drinking and driving is right up there with texting and driving – these are two of the most selfish things you can do as a driver. But the sad truth is most people will never learn.

    15
  16. Anonymous says:

    Alarmed by drunks ??? They should be alarmed about getting punched in the face and the puncher given a slap on the wrist. No respect for law enforcement here in Grand Cayman.

    40
    1
  17. Anonymous says:

    These annual disappointment announcements are so tiresome.

    RCIPS: Refer to public critiques from last decade…ask what have you done to change this behavior and save lives?

    33
    1
  18. Anonymous says:

    And I am alarmed by the number of people running STOP signs, often without even slowing down. Over the past week I have also witnessed 3 people running red lights, something that I never used to see in Cayman. I hope the RCIPS cracks down on these dangerous violations also! Stay safe Cayman!

    33
    • Anonymous says:

      5 cars blew through the red light by Kirk Supermarket last night while I was waiting to safely be able to go when my light was green! Not the first time either but it’s usually only one or two cars that run the light.

    • Anonymous says:

      Very few vehicles stop when making a left turn on to Batabano Road from the ETH. A police cruiser parked on the East side would be guaranteed to catch any numbers of them, every day. C’mon RCIP!

  19. Kim says:

    They may be getting caught now, but they are on the roads all year round.

    35
  20. Anonymous says:

    Give them six months in jail automatically and no “I’ve found Jesus” defences.

    26
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      That should create more than enough jobs for the unemployed. The place would be like a ghost town!

  21. Anonymous says:

    Conversely, drunks not alarmed by number of police on the road.

    36
  22. Anonymous says:

    Just wondering, have they been able to detect any illegal tint, missing front license plates, illegal windshield covers, loud and abusive lyrics disturbing the peace, failure to indicate? Must be those things are my imagination about 50 times a day. I am going to see a doctor because I seem to be seeing things that must not be there.

    52
    1
  23. Anonymous says:

    no excuse for drink driving but deregulation of taxi industry here and introduction of uber would help a lot…..

    42
    3
  24. satirony says:

    Every day drivers get away with just one, or even no number plates, wheel spikes and red-and-blue strobe lights, while trucks drive with impunity at 60 mph, tyres worn to the canvas, and with illegible plates, faulty lights and no mandatory cargo covers. In this way, the Police are giving drivers the green light to do whatever they want. It’s no surprise then, that at Christmas, when they try to put these ‘evils’ back into Pandora’s box, they fail. They and the politicians have encouraged his culture of disrespect for the law by doing nothing about it, except for the odd ‘cackdown’, and they have only themselves to blame for the predictable results.

    45
    2
  25. Anonymous says:

    If only taxis had meters and didn’t rip everyone off…. aghhh what a world it would be!

    40
    2
    • Anonymous says:

      Or how about not drinking if you’re driving? Not drinking is a valid option, then you can drive yourself and some friends. No taxis required!

      10
      17
    • Anonymous says:

      So you can spend $50-$60 getting drunk in a bar, more if you also have a meal with that, but spending $30-40 now whoa that’s way too much money to make sure you get home safely and without maiming or killing other road users?

      4
      7
    • Anonymous says:

      I was at Camana Bay the other week, had three drinks the whole evening, decided not to chance it although I was probably under the limit. Made over 15 calls to cab companies none of which turned up. Can we have uber here please?

    • Anonymous says:

      There is a schedule of fees under the law. If they do not charge you under the schedule or do not have the fee schedule to hand then they cannot charge you a fare. I’ve had a few free trips from the airport off that one. Just keep a photocopy of the regulations in your wallet. Such fun.

  26. Anonymous says:

    This is going to be a very difficult operation………educating drivers of the impact of DUI. These excuses for caring individuals just don’t want to know. They are such smart arses who think they are above the law. There’s better drivers than them that have ended up in the cemetery! They have little value on their own lives or that of their families, and no value whatsoever on other innocent road users. THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK BEFORE YOU DRIVE!!!

  27. Anonymous says:

    Does the penalty match the crime?
    They crucify a person who brings 200g of caviar or Christmas gifts for grandchildren, or a wedding dress, yet, those who have no regard for a human life end up with a slap on a wrist. And if they kill a person while intoxicated, they only get few month behind bars.

    35
  28. Anonymous says:

    Not sure where or when they are doing these traffic stops but I walked home at midnight on Saturday and saw multiple cars swerving down the bypass with no police in sight. Putting a roadblock there would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

    28

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.