Police deal with almost 1,000 traffic offences
![Cayman News Service](https://caymannewsservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/RCIPS-checkpoint.png)
(CNS): Since the start of December the RCIPS traffic unit has recorded almost 1,000 traffic violations, ranging from DUIs to illegal tint, as they pursue this year’s holiday crackdown. The safety campaign will continue into the New Year, police said, with intensified road enforcement operations, including an increase in traffic stops and high visibility patrols. The aim is to reduce crashes by cracking down on drunk driving and speeding.
In a release this week, the police said they had already made 28 arrests for DUI, and several of the drivers had a blood alcohol content of over twice the legal limit.
Five drivers have been arrested for being disqualified or not being qualified, 213 drivers have been issued tickets for speeding, 164 for using a mobile phone while driving and a whopping 563 for illegal tint.
Both illegal tint and using a mobile phone while driving can cost drivers up to $150.
With New Year’s Eve just a few days away, the police have again partnered with the National Drug Council’s Designated Driver and New Year’s Eve Purple Ribbon Bus campaigns. Inspector Dwayne Jones of the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit said that both programmes provide additional incentives for people to choose not to drink and drive, especially between Christmas and the New Year.
“So if you do intend to drink, it is essential that you make plans in advance to use one of these alternatives, whether that means taking advantage of the Designated Driver campaign, taking a taxi, or using the Purple Ribbon Bus on New Year’s Eve. Whatever the situation, there is no excuse for choosing to drink and drive,” he added.
Many local restaurants and bars will be offering designated drivers complimentary soft drinks throughout the evening.
The Purple Ribbon Bus service provides free bus service on New Year’s Eve from 9pm to 4am. The service runs between West Bay and Bodden Town every 15 minutes, with occasional service to East End and North Side. Additionally, the RCIPS encourages drivers to take the Purple Ribbon Pledge to not drink and drive over the holiday season.
Visit the National Drug Council for more information.
Another aspect of increased police activity during the holiday season has been strengthening crime and robbery prevention measures in the business community, the RCIPS said, given the heightened commercial activity and late opening hours. Community police officers have been conducting evening foot patrols this week in the main commercial areas around the island to increase visibility and offer reassurance to business owners and shoppers.
A targetted increase in police presence both in commercial areas and on the road will continue until the New Year, with the intention of ensuring a safe holiday season for members of the public as they travel the roads and do their shopping.
For general holiday safety and crime prevention tips, see this release.
How many tickets for driving without headlights/taillights? Many offenders are taxi/omnibus drivers!!!
Most comments represent myopic views on one of the major problems the territory is facing, such as the absence of laws enforcement activities.
If the RCIPS leadership are going to continue to view Traffic enforcement as an inconvenient seasonal effort, then we should add a zero or two to all the posted fines in the regs and really make this a worthwhile lotto. The odds of getting stopped are still so infinitesimal that most will continue to spin their wheel of chance. $150 isn’t a deterrent, and doesn’t even cover the officer’s time and admin – esp if he/she is expected to subsequently appear at court for summary judgment upon non-payment.
I concur. They should make it an even $200 and officer gets $50 once the fine is paid… that’s a pretty nice bonus at the end of the month if you catch even 10 people. Which is easy.
Why do people think we aren’t already paying?!? We are already paying 400 cops some $200,000,000, and annually fete them with a champagne-fueled gala for having enforced just a small selection of their remit. Institutionalizing (further) RCIPS greed risks an open bribe culture where drivers are palming cops cash NOT to write their tickets, or attend at all. But maybe that’s already the case. Certainly feels like it.
Wow. Whoa. Calm down amigo. To the poster below: no I’m not a cop or even associated with them. If I was there sure as hell would be a lot more speeding tickets given out. I get that they are paid my problem is what do we do to incentivize them to actually do their job. Because just paying them a salary doesn’t seem to be working. Maybe next time you reply you have an actual suggestion?
Hey dummy, you do realize that the rcips don’t actually get $200,000,000 dollars a year?
Bet you work for them and love the power trip. This how you end up getting tickets for doing 2 mph over.
Because breaking the law just a little bit is ok? It’s a limit. Not a limit plus a little wiggle room. The bigger concern would be that if you give the officer cash for issuing the ticket you get ticketed when you are a few mph UNDER the limit, which is why no decent law enforcement system pays cops directly for issuing fines or arrests.
I’m pretty sure officers here follow the 10% plus 2mph guidance for enforcement that exists in the UK. So there is wiggle room in practice. 30 -> 35, 40 ->46, 50 -> 57, etc. This tallies with me never getting a ticket, ever, staying within these numbers.
And what about the cars with no plates on them? And people parking on sidewalks and double yellow lines? No word on them doing anything with either of these problems. If I’m prepared to break these laws in plain sight then what else am I doing?
How about just parking or stopping in the road? Everyday some dillweed (mostly Caribean I might add) pulls off of the road but leaves half their car in the lane obstructing flow. FINE THEM.
That is a sign that the planning Dept has not mandated business ti have sufficient parkinf. I believe the current and previous governments does not want sufficient parking so that government can collect more revenue.
That would make some sense if someone were collecting the revenue, but they aren’t ticketing the offenders. Last time I saw an officer by an illegally parked car he fist bumped the owner before he went on his way. No point having laws if you aren’t going to uphold them. And this would be a good revenue stream if the RCIPS did what they are supposed to do.
Imagine how many violations they will get If they just keep this up year round and how much safer the roads will be. Go RCIPS !!
They should be scooping all the unroadworthy vehicles, bad drivers and dark plate covers too.
The DUI numbers should be way higher.
Actually I think you’ll be surprised at the amount of people that can’t even drive sober. Makes it look like everyone is drunk when they aren’t though.
Give me Uber or Flex and i’ll stop.
Try to CIGO taxi app. I did and it made my trips perfect as I knew in advance exactly what the cost would be.
At CI$50 to get home (one way) this is only an option if I am sharing, otherwise the taxi home costs more than the night out. So I stay home. The cost of taxis here is phenomenol, and the standards of vehicles and drivers is generally appalling.
Had a taxi go 100k down south sound road one night with me in it. Hell no will I risk my life with them again!
no thanks…an app that guarantees you will be ripped off.
Prices are insane. A 10 minute ride will be $25 CI. And if you try and share it with someone else the fare doubles. Madness
Spoken like one of our many self-absorbed losers with cash for a $25 cover, $100 bottle service, and shots, but no $30 for the safe drive home. Spare us this faux-high-roller Uber excuse for your drinking problem. Planning ahead is part of being a responsible adult. See you in the Cause Lists.
Or you could just stop because you have a shred of regard for the lives and well-being of every other person driving, biking or walking in Cayman.
This mentality is the problem. People who drive intoxicated are criminals and should be dealt stiff sentences. Period.
There are still thousands of mental drivers on our roads who have zero BAC.
You’ll stop or something will stop you. I hope you don’t take anyone with you.
Tosspot.
I don’t use taxis or buses because they’re terrible.
If I go out, I get a ride with a sober friend, or I don’t drink more than a couple of small beers all night.
You sir, are a tosspot. You deserve all you get.
And yet I still see crazy drivers everywhere. A cop passed me on his cell phone too! I guess it wasn’t illegal for him because he was holding the phone away from his face and using the speaker.
Whilst it doesn’t look good, police are exempt from this law. Policy wise it may be another matter.
So those new fancy card don’t have blue tooth built in? Give me a break.
feel sorry for alot of people with tint issues…many bought their cars with existing tint with cars that have already been inspected and passed.
Then get the tint removed. It is ILLEGAL. No pity. Comply with the law or face fines.
No they didn’t.
Whereas many/most of us feel zero sympathy for the (almost always) male hooligans diverting a child support payment to install aftermarket 5% charcoal on the windscreen of their shit-heaps.
Spoken like a true feminist.
Who deserves child support. Who are you?
They should have never been passed in the first place! Everyday I see cars that are so dark you can’t see in to.
Often also with at least a front plate missing. Pathetic, illegal and nothing ever really done.
Or dark tinted plates too
In a country with 60,000 residents (not all of them drive) this is called a total failure by CIG to maintain law and order.
Paradise my a$$. The most dysfunctional among developed countries in the world.
Dumb government create laws dumb people don’t comply with and dumb police won’t enforce it.
1,000 violations a month on the rock the size of a Texas ranch is just dumb.
These numbers should be whats posted about every 2 weeks in a regular month. Cell phone tickets should be at least doubled almost every one uses there phone while driving.
You think it’s easy to spot these people in a patrol car with bright blue lights on 24/7? People see them a mile away and can easily hide their phone. It’s the ones who get caught who are truly stupid.
Once convicted there should be a website that publishes mugshots and length of driving ban.
Traffic Cause List is online.
No mugshots though.
DUI should be a criminal offense rather than a traffic misdemeanor. It should mean no more work permit, no more credit line, no more job. Or as it happens elsewhere: legitimate and justifiable consequences for grown misbehaving adults, and thus a proportionate deterrent for the problem’s bigger impact on society.