Second life lost on roads in less than 24 hours
(CNS): Police said that they are diverting even more resources on to the roads after the second deadly smash on local roads in twenty-four hours. As fatal and serious crashes reach unprecedent levels the police once again urged drivers to continue to slow down pay attention and not to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol. In the latest fatal collision five people were trapped inside a Honda fit which caught fire after smashing into a tree on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, in West Bay, on Boxing Day afternoon.
It was around 4:30pm, 26 December, when police and emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on the highway near Canal Point Drive. The Honda was travelling northbound along Esterley Tibbetts when it left the roadway and collided with a tree and caught fire. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and five people inside were removed and taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital by ambulance. The driver who was in a critical condition was pronounced dead at the hospital while a second patient was also said to be critical, while the other three are being treated for serious injuries.
“In light of the series of serious collisions over the past two days, the RCIPS has diverted additional resources to road safety and traffic operations, and motorists should expect to see a further increased police presence on the roads throughout the coming days. Police continue to appeal to road users to practice safe driving habits, and avoid speeding, drunk, or distracted driving,” the RCIPS said in the wake of the smash.
The driver is now the fourteenth person to die on the roads this year and the fourth this month. The smash is also one of three very serious crashes on the roads in just over a day and comes in the wake of more than 88 crashes reported to police during the first week of the seasonal road safety campaign Operation Winter Guardian.
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Category: Local News
On Sunday morning observe a Spanish female obviously drunk travelling the wrong way on the left lane of the Newlands by pass nearly Killing a motorcyclist and causing two accidents. Subsequently she ran through two police check points not even sure if she was apprehended .These people need to Go Cayman !
You followed her – the wrong way down the highway? Or the motorbike, 2 accidents and 2 police checkpoints all happened within the short stretch of road as you passed by her? Passing lightly over the fact you also managed to identify her ethnicity from a distance.
Si senor
How do you know she was Spanish?
You know, papi.
BS! NOT #caymankind. So much garbage/racist slander in this post.
“If we all go 55, they can’t arrest us all”
In all fairness 40 on a straight divided highway is unreasonable.
Its not a highway.
No it’s a dual carriageway 60 or 70 in the UK… who have 1/10 our accident rate.
Technically it is, as it is named as such.
You are part of the problem. If it were a true highway, it would not have multiple roundabouts.
70 MPH is ok on interstates and highways because there are generally no roundabouts.
With mindsets like yours and the lack of enforcement, it seems that speed bumps or speed tables are the only way to slow speeders down.
Dude never drove in Europe clearly. What the hell are you talking about? UK and European A roads and dual carriageway have tens of thousands of roundabouts LOL. YOU are the problem. Learn to drive.
What are you babbling about? Think you need to travel somewhere other than the USA, which by the way also has terrible accident and injury stats.
Tell us you’ve never driven outside North America without telling us.
Drove from Camana Bay to Savannah at 8pm on Saturday night. Was expecting a road block or two, but instead didn’t see a single police car on the whole drive home.
That’s the beginning of happy hour(s) for our ministers on that route – no patrolling allowed then. Assistance given for grievous harm to poles and stationary machinery. RCIPS and bandaids optional.
So sad when these youngsters get behind a wheel and just go crazy. How can 5 persons fit into a Honda Fit anyway? No pun intended
Our daughter just passed her driving test and got her full license, five weeks after passing her theory test and receiving her learner’s permit.
Five weeks? She’d barely driven 100 miles in total. In Canada it takes 3-4 years to fully graduate as a driver. You have to drive for a whole year on a provisional license before you can drive alone during the day. Another year driving during the day before you can drive at night.
80% passing grade on theory test (32 out of 40)? Which eight facts are we OK with new drivers not knowing? Signaling on roundabouts? The speed limit in built up areas? Returning to the left lane after overtaking on a highway?
Developing country levels of road deaths are emblematic of our government’s total inability to solve the problems of the country.
If you are referring to Canada as I presume Ontario with its graduated driver license program you are clearly off the mark. In the Prairie provinces you can drive at 15/16. However in general you need to be enrolled in a drivers highschool program.
Go back to Canada then. Simple.
Canadians have become some of the most smug and self righteous people around. I have been outside of Canada for 30 years and cringe when I hear one get up on their pulpit. Considering Canada is nearly falling apart I expect Cayman will see an influx soon.
Sad, very sad comment. And we wonder why Cayman has become so pitiful. Be more open to discussion and debate without the snarky comments that add zero to the conversation. The basic thought was that Cayman has an inadequate driver license exam process; this is largely true. Upon reading that, why are you telling the writer to leave Cayman?
When I was in the USA, we could get the learners license at 15 years old but had to drive one year before getting a full licence. This was Florida, a long time ago so I’m not sure if it still holds true.It used to be a year before you could get the full license here as well.
Florida has terrible KSI stats, awful example to copy. look to northern Europe if you want safer roads.
US accident rate is like 4 time worse than Europe. Not a good model to copy.
RCIP traffic in a nutshell. My understanding is that the old yellow licence plates are now illegal. Why do I still see vehicles on the road with these plates. You would think this is easily the lowest of low hanging fruit and more than likely the vehicle has no valid registration or insurance. Issue is that this requires actual police work.
This brings Cayman to 20 road deaths per 100k population for the year. Some comparative figures are:
UK – 2.9
Canada – 5.3
Jamaica – 15.1
US – 12.9
Nigeria – 20.7
Dominican Republic – 27.5
Of those countries listed, how many have a native population outnumbered 2.5:1 (maybe even 3:1 now) as they do in Cayman?
And how many have the ratio of police to civilian population we have here? Or the policing budget per head of population we have here? Or road quality we have here – some of those stats are for theirs world countries for heavens sake. Instead of getting bent out of shape by the implied criticism of Cayman and trying to blame it on foreigners, why not address the underlying issues of licensing and enforcement?
Fine. The issues are lack of enforcement, issues of licensing, and ….. wait for it…….. foreigners.
It is not a matter of blaming it on foreigners – our rate of accidents (fatal or otherwise) has skyrocketed alongside our population. You can stick your head in the sand all you want, but the reality remains whenever you come up for air.
I agree with everything else you said about the JDF FKA RCIPS though.
UK is nearly there
That is a valid question and it needs to be answered as does the ratio of nationalities committing crimes on this our beautiful Cayman Islands.
The dirt bike jackasses were filmed passing cars and doing wheelies yesterday on the Seven Mile Corridor.
Not a cop in sight.
Them getting away with it daily is truly emblamatic of the lack of law enforcement on our roads.
The cops know who they are and not a damn thing will be done about them.
Dirt bikes on the roads, perverts, drugs, fights on the beaches, and vehicle accidents with deaths.
This is a tragic holiday season and it will only get worse.
The dirt bike crews tend to come to the fore every now and again. The worst part is, these are usually not teenagers, but actual fully grown men with something lacking in the IQ department.
Bring in units on police motocross bikes to take them down. The UK police have them, as well as the ability to make contact with their patrol vehicles if needed.
The obvious problem is that the majority of the police are of the same nationality as those breaking our traffic laws! Where they come from the type of high speed recklessness and aggressive driving is their normal so don’t look for the massive arrest record that should be happening! They can’t recognize the wrong. Commissioner Walton, step up and get rid of the overabundance of one foreign nationality in the RCIPS, please!
As you seem to be afraid of being Politically correct by naming that one nationality in particular………let me do so……….JAMAICANS.
Your comment was absolutely correct, it may step on toes, as mine will too but the truth can only be silenced for a short time before it comes shining through.
Sadly, we again/already need a new Chief of Police: one that will do the job we are paying for.
That same day there were 2 other rolled over cars nearby from other incidents. ETH is an absolute free for all.
How do u crash on a straight road? If drunk then the only plus is they didn’t kill anyone else. Obviously no regard for life sorry. Truth hurts I know.
A bit late to be diverting “additional resources”, don’t you think? Why isn’t this done every single day? One need only see the massive deterioration over the past year to know that if the RCIPS continues to disregard their duties it will only get worse.
It’s time to start holding the DVDL responsible for handing out licenses to people who can’t drive.
Circle of life Bobo. Slow down.
Those Honda Fit cars are too small to be travelling with 5 people…Police need to look into cars taking too many passengers.
Police need to do a lot of things but don’t – enforce everything from no licence plates on the front of vehicles, illegal tints, cars clearly unfit to be on the road, no brake lights, no stopping at red lights … but that means actually working which the RCIPS seem incapable of. Most useless police force I have ever encountered.
Next time I see someone texting on their phone gonna beep the shit out of them until they look up!
Saw 3 in less than half an hour, one going Smith Road, nearly veered into other lane, at same time one goung through lights on phone n one at four way at hospital who sat there texting instead of moving on!
No need for this loss of life!
Get off your damn phones!
Stop chattering n partying in the car, distracting the driver!
Stio drinking and driving!
Grow the F*** Up because you or somebody else you kill will not be allowed to!
them honda fit batteries burn hotter than the sun when ignited…should be banned
Let’s hire more Jamaican cops to police more Jamaicans here on work permits…I know it’s not only Jamaicans dying on the roads but these lower forms of police officers who are obese, can barely write, and just want to have a “relaxed” work day, need to go home.
27 @ 10:48am – ‘said “One local vehicle dealer”‘. ?? Perhaps he’s one dealer who imports and sells these gray market, perhaps substandard, Japanese imports.
US Safety standards don’t apply here anyway, so that’s moot but if they did, I doubt Cayman’s certified Ford, Chevy, Benz, Audi, Dodge, BMW, Hyundai and Honda dealers have anything to worry about.
Get Honda Fits off the roads and start issuing tickets directly from the speed cameras
We also have Honda Fits (called Honda Jazz) here in the UK. Surprisingly not involved in accidents – why – standard of driving and standard of policing is MUCH higher. It’s NOT the car – it’s the driver.
It IS the car that the driver can AFFORD. Too many uneducated, undisciplined people here who are pissed off at their lot in life. Driving fast and recklessly is their self-expression. It is a way to give the more fortunate the middle finger. The aggressive driving is an expression of an aggressive culture. Honda Fits are cheap to buy and cheaper to rent. How many fly-by-night rental companies do we need on this island? Most of the Honda Fits you see on the road have a rental company sticker slapped on them. Some companies lease them for less than $10 a day. Who do you see driving them? Mostly Jamaicans. But oh no! You can’t say that! You’re xenophobic! Let’s stop being so damn fragile and call a spade a spade.
we’d have no need for any traffic police if we all just slowed down, calmed down, stopped using phones when driving, and didn’t drive when drinking/drugging.
but no, lets blame anyone but ourselves.
About time we brought back the DUI checks on a Sunday afternoon, on the quietest roads under the shadiest trees… or at 7:30am on the ETH when we can snare a few school run mums doing 44mph.
Until drivers fear harsh penalties for their lawlessness, nothing will change.
Photo radar (both spot and average speed cameras). Will end 95% of speeding on roads where installed. Can’t renew or transfer registration of vehicle until all tickets are paid (including late penalties). Periodic spot checks and if three tickets are outstanding, vehicle is immediately impounded until paid.
Plus roving police ghost cars on places like the Spotts speedway and the bypasses. Start picking these people off.
Stop “studying”; it works really well in other countries.
Works well? No it doesn’t. You’re making that up. That’s been debunked many times. Once you account for reversion to the mean speed cameras don’t do anything for road safety. They are simply a way for politicians and police to be seen to be doing something. RTAs and KSIs are far closer correlated to the level of driver training needed to pass the driving test and the age of the average vehicle on the road.
This one was lit.
I suggest a mandatory prison sentence of one month for anyone caught driving over the limit. No ifs, no buts. And if they’re on a work permit, revoke it and kick them out when they’ve served their time.
Cayman is a killing field. It has to stop.
Add driving whilst disqualified or without insurance
slow down
RIP and condolences to the families and friends.
What does RIP even mean? Requiescat In Pace? Rest in peace?
As opposed to what? Uneasily?
Just another bit of meaningless glib nonsense.
Your chance of being in a collision is 26 times higher when texting and driving.
So out of the 88 collisions this week, it is highly likely that 80 of the collisions were caused by text and driving.
Have you noticed you don’t see people running and texting, for obvious reasons, yet they happily text when driving along at 40.
If the police can’t be bothered trying to stop it, it will be left to other drivers to punish the offenders, hence a large increase in road rage.
They are also the cause of the traffic issues, as they sit at green traffic lights, sit at the front roundabouts finishing their texts, etc. or just sitting in traffic, when all the cars have moved 50 yards and the texter is still stationary.
I mean you have a point but your maths is garbage
logic fail
Caymanians look no further than the Traffic court cause list and see who is being prosecute .Then please for the love of this little island vote accordingly. All those supporting this foreign agenda here do not deserve you vote plain and simple.
It is time for more drastic measures.
Perhaps ALL employers in Cayman should be required (in writing) to notify ALL employees that IF they are prosecuted for any type of dangerous driving, causing serious accident, etc., they could be subject to termination.
Perhaps all work permit holders should be notified (in writing) that if they are prosecuted for any type of dangerous driving, etc., they could be subject to deportation.
Perhaps ALL high schools and colleges who have drivers (ages 17+) should be required (in writing) to notify students that IF they are prosecuted for any type of dangerous driving, etc., they could be subject to termination.
Perhaps ALL residents should be notified by CIG (in writing) that IF they are prosecuted for any type of dangerous driving, etc., they could lose any Government funding that they are receiving, including scholarships, support unit, etc.
This may sound drastic to many, but nothing else so far has worked.
There must be consequences for some of the despicable behaviour on our roads.
You have a lot of ‘perhaps’ there. How about educating the electorate, vote in ethical ministers that will govern ethically, and kick out the criminals in CIG. The fish rots from the head. You want changes and laws to be enforced – get a kick-ass set of Ministers that have a spine!
For those going on about the safety of a Honda Fit. Nearly all cars here would be death traps if driven as foolishly as we see on the regular here.
Subarus are not immune to tree impacts, and neither are any other cars.
As for American vehicles, yes, modern cars made for the US will have plenty of safety tech and standards, but things like old SUVs, any Jeep Wrangler, and older F150s are just as bad in a crash.
The number one way to stay safe is to not crash. This also relies on trusting others not to crash into you, which is the main issue for me. Too many idiots in the roads with zero action taken against them that has any impact.
Ever heard of childproofing a house? Little kids have no concept of a danger and safety.
Drivers in Cayman have no concept of a danger to themself and others either.
So Stop Urging.
Accident proof the most dangerous stretches of roads, intersections etc.
Stop importing Japanese vehicles built for their“domestic market”.
Implement draconian fines for traffic offenses.
You cannot accident-proof roads here. Stop being ridiculous. You can improve the design, but you will not eliminate the idiots.
So, stop bringing in Japanese cars? You fancy seeing the high-viz vest racers driving American SUVs? lolz
Evidently these people are not taking the pledge.
Or rather they are huffing it?
What Pledge?
Lemon
“If you said tomorrow morning that all cars coming into Cayman needed to meet US standards, every dealer on island would have to shut their doors.” said One local vehicle dealer in Cayman.
US needs better standards due to the litigious culture, combined with dummies behind the wheel.
Japanese cars are not inherently bad. Japan is in the top 10 for road safety in terms of deaths. The difference is they actually have a test that is difficult to pass, and a culture that generally has people obeying the rules.
US vehicles should be forced to convert to RHD. LHD is just dangerous on RHD roads.
The problem in Cayman is and has always been the drivers not the cars. This should be one of the easiest places to drive in the world. But when you are DUI, driving while on your phone or doing 40 mph over the speed limit (or a combination), accidents are inevitable. Many people here do not know how to drive at the most basic level.
So you think it’s the car’s fault?
Fits do seem to very frequently kill their occupants in crashes that I think you’d easily walk away from in any decent car.
why would we meet us standards when we are british but i get your point
Nothing to do with the vehicle itself, no doubt – all to do with how the vehicle is driven.
Not sure I’ve even seen a police car where the drivers isn’t on his phone.
Or taxi or bus drivers who are clearly in violation of the laws everyday.
🙄the police once again urged drivers to continue to slow down pay attention
🙄the police once again urged drivers to continue to slow down pay attention
🙄the police once again urged drivers to continue to slow down pay attention
It is not working! Are they going to continue urging?
Condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
Honda Fits are known for bursting into flames in a collision.
I know the thumbs down this post get but I will never drive our let anyone I love drive a Honda Fit!
So let’s load em up with as many people as can cram in. Five people in a Fit? I wouldn’t even go near one let alone get in one.
Amazing how they are ok in other lands across the world, including America with all of her giant trucks and SUVs.
Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.
Respect to the deceased, family and friends.
According to report, the driver/car collided with a tree. Why?
John John may know the answer.
It’s not the police’s fault. No amount of roadblocks will stop drunk drivers and, even more commonly, inattentive drivers. These people are glued to their stupid phones all day and that’s why half of these crashes happen. This was in the middle of the day. I don’t know what happened in this particular crash but as a general rule no amount of policing will fix stupid.
According to reports, the Honda Fit has been subject to recalls due to potential fire risks in certain accident scenarios, with several instances of fires occurring in the car following collisions, often linked to issues with the control systems or power steering components
evidence, please.
Linked to the Takata airbag recall issue as well.
Would be interesting if our RCIPS would do a report on vehicle accidents over the last 5 years, looking at fatalities, type of vehicle, cause of accidents, etc., with the objective of making data driven changes such as improvements to the Driver Licensing process, safety criteria of imported vehicles, road layout/construction improvements. For example South Korea has implemented plastic rolling barriers on many of its highways to enhance road safety. When a car collides with the barrier, the rollers spin, helping to absorb the impact and redirect the vehicle along the barrier, rather than crashing straight into a rigid structure.https://www.worldhighways.com/wh11/products/new-roller-barrier-korean-firm-eti
Speed cameras are also a very obvious option, needs funding and the appropriate legislation…
Condolences to the family and friends for their loss.
What is currently going on across the roads of the Cayman Islands every day is terrifying. I know it’s nothing new but with more cars, more drunk/drug drivers, more speeding and more people using their phones it’s just going to get worse. So many people seem to become entitled maniacs when they get behind the wheel here and forget any sense of looking after their own passengers, let alone other road users and pedestrians. The police could and should be doing more but the deplorable situation on the roads here is systemic – the government simply don’t care, just look at the example set by our own ministers. they waste millions on vanity projects, whilst failing to implement any proper measures to address road safety which would save lives. They ignored recommendations on public transport. They make excuses for not bringing in speed cameras or traffic calming. Corruption runs dead in the systems for inspecting and licensing vehicles, leading to death traps going at 90 mph on the road driven by people without a local driving license or insurance. How many people have to die or be seriously injured before something meaningful is done.
Human Behavior change is complicated and complex because it requires a person to disrupt a current habit.
📌Hit them where it really hurts – their pockets. Jail them for driving with a suspended or without a license.
⬇️
I bet many would immediately change their driving habits.
All valid observations, as to the ‘How Long’ query, well, it’s going to be a while.
There is currently very little in consequences for listed maniacs as a deterrent to force them to adhere to safe driving. Until that happens, we can expect more news stories such as this one.
Most drivers here in Cayman are very good ones, as they did their driving education & gained skills abroad. By the term “Abroad”, I am not referring to out of Cayman as much as I am referring to anywhere that is not in the Caribbean.
How could you expect the Government to care when their very own ministers are permitted to trash expensive government cars into Excavators and light poles, then have the RCIPS ignore the mandatory breathalyzing that the rest of us would undergo ?
The Orkish Approach to Roundabouts (With Added Tyranid Horror and a Message of Safety)
Cayman’s roads are meant to be arteries of safe passage, connecting our homes, schools, and workplaces—not arenas of tragedy. Yet here we are, grappling with chaos as reckless drivers transform roundabouts into proving grounds for the Waaagh. Let us be clear: our roads should foster life, not become the stage for its abrupt and unnecessary end.
The Orkish Approach to Roundabouts
1. “It’s Not a Roundabout, It’s a Ramp!”
To an Ork—or a reckless driver—a roundabout isn’t a tool for orderly traffic flow. It’s an invitation to test their shocks, scrape their bumpers, and see if they can catch air. Who cares about yielding when you’ve got a “flight plan?”
2. “Da Bigger Da Bump, Da Better Da Jump!”
Nobz live by the mantra of size equals status. A roundabout that rises more than a few inches off the ground? Clearly, it’s not there to guide traffic; it’s there to challenge their suspension and prove who can take it at the highest speed without flipping.
3. The Wrong-Way Waaagh:
Why bother with clockwise navigation when the Orkish way is to brute-force your own path? For some, “yield” is an alien concept, and right-of-way might as well be a Tyranid pod—ominous, confusing, and best avoided at full throttle.
4. The Scenic Detour:
For a select few who almost understand the purpose of roundabouts, there’s the tendency to treat them like scenic routes. One lap. Two laps. Three laps… why not make it a full victory parade?
A Road Should Be a Safe Way, Not a Graveyard
The roads are not the Emperor’s battlefields nor the Ork’s proving grounds. They are sacred pathways meant to safely ferry our loved ones to their destinations. Every life lost on the road is not just a tragedy—it’s a failure of responsibility, accountability, and respect for one another.
When we drive recklessly, we do not just risk our own lives—we gamble with the lives of strangers, families, and friends. It is not a Waaagh to be proud of; it is a folly that leaves behind grief and regret.
Solutions for Roundabout Abuse and Safer Roads
1. Install Speed Control Waaagh-Tek:
Borrowing inspiration from the Orks themselves, install automated Waaagh-Tek barriers. Drivers entering the roundabout at unsafe speeds trigger a giant hand-painted sign that reads, “SLOW DOWN, YA DAFT GIT!”—complete with flashing lights and an obnoxious air horn.
2. Deploy the Adeptus Arbites Drone Patrol:
Armed with cameras and traffic fines faster than a Nobz choppa, drones could enforce roundabout etiquette with ruthless efficiency. Every infraction results in a datacard of shame delivered directly to the offender’s mailbox.
3. Build Roundabout Shrines:
If they insist on treating roundabouts like Ork war zones, let’s lean into it. Install statues of squigs, grots, and warbosses in the center, surrounded by Tyranid pods—because nothing says “yield” like the fear of becoming Hive Fleet snacks.
4. The Roundabout Training Waaagh:
For repeat offenders, mandatory driver’s ed classes styled as an Ork waaagh camp. Misbehaving drivers are handed a steering wheel while someone in a Warboss costume screams, “TURN LEFT, YA GROT, OR I’LL KRUMP YA!”
Turning Mayhem into Safety
Cayman’s roads should be places of safety, respect, and order—not grim reminders of lives lost to reckless abandon. To tame the Nobz and restore the roads to their intended purpose is to honor the lives of those who travel upon them. Let us drive with care, not chaos, and ensure that our roads become the safe ways they were always meant to be.
For Cayman. For Safety. For the Emperor.
Let the Adeptus Ridiculous call for Waaagh-free roads!
“In light of the series of serious collisions over the past two days, the RCIPS has diverted additional resources to road safety and traffic operations, and motorists should expect to see a further increased police presence on the roads throughout the coming days”
cool… so i will see more police cars driving past obvious violations if not committing obvious violations themselves. The RCIP cant even use a roundabout correctly, I have 0 confidence in their ability to improve road safety. I cant help but laugh every time they talk about “known speeding hot spots” like the bypass or shamrock because i just cant help but wonder if they know people are driving dangerously their why don’t they start pulling them over? crazy idea i know…
it’s dependant on the weather. if it’s raining forget about it, they won’t get out of their car, if it’s humid, forget about it, they won’t get out of their car. if it’s hot… I could go on and on.
It’s not the police fault. It’s the bad drivers. I would never drive in Grand Cayman. The amount of bad driving that I see scares the crap out of me. I was appalled to see two cars racing on the road at 8pm one night.