Drunks and speeders causing most of serious crash toll
(CNS): Even though drinking and driving is one of the main causes of accidents on local roads, overnight on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, police arrested only four people for DUI and just 23 in total during the holiday safety campaign Operation Winter Guardian. Reflecting on the road safety element of the holiday campaign, which ended last week, Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks said police officers witnessed “truly bad driving”, especially drunk driving and speeding.
Ebanks said that most road users understand the importance of safe driving, but there “are many who engage in truly bad driving cultures, particularly with regards to drinking and driving and excessive speeding”.
He said that during the campaign, the police arrested at least one driver who was more than three times over the limit, another drunk driver who was already disqualified from driving due to previous offences, and one man who was so intoxicated that he couldn’t stand while at the Detention Centre.
“These are some extreme examples of the type of behaviours that must change,” CS Ebanks said. He noted the significant increase in road fatalities, with 14 deaths in 2024 compared to nine in 2023. Four of the deaths last year were during the festive season in December.
“I would like to send my condolences, on behalf of the RCIPS, to all the families who experienced loss throughout last year, as I know the toll that the holiday holds for those who are grieving,” he said.
“Let us do our endeavour best to enact change throughout this upcoming year and the years ahead so that we can all be safer on our roads and in our communities. Currently, road fatalities are the largest cause of tragic deaths in the Cayman Islands, and it must be everyone’s priority to do their part to diminish this driving culture,” he added.
Ebanks thanked the more than 4,550 people who used the Purple Ribbon Bus Service on New Year’s Eve. “You made the choice to be responsible instead of drinking and driving and helped make the roads safer as a result,” he said.
On New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day, the RCIPS, with the help of partner agencies, conducted a major operation, deploying additional police officers to provide a robust road safety operation. With the high number of road fatalities last year in mind, the RCIPS boosted the number of officers available by deploying the current class of recruits from the Training and Development Unit and partnering with Customs and Border Control.
Several units were deployed to carry out proactive patrols and address any social issues, disrupt illegal activities, and assist with crowd control in heavily attended areas. This appears to have been a success, police said. Although there were a number of calls for service throughout the day of 31 December and into the early morning hours of 1 January, there were no calls about significant violence or serious road collisions.
Continuous vehicle checkpoints were carried out throughout the night, and 29 traffic offences were detected, most of them for expired vehicle registrations. Four people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. All of them were booked into custody and granted bail pending further investigation.
Over the entire Winter Guardian campaign, which ran from 16 December 2024 to 6 January 2025, officers dealt with over 550 traffic-related incidents, ranging from road collisions to traffic offence ticketing. Twenty-three of these incidents were DUIs and 85 were speeding offences.
In addition, 122 people were prosecuted for using a vehicle without the proper licensing or registration, and 21 were prosecuted for using a mobile phone while driving.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
For more than 20 years I have been watching cars speed on South Church Street. Once round the bend by Maples, the foot goes down on the accelerator and they’re off. If police could station themselves with a radar or whatever it is they use, between a point A and point B they could rake in a ton of money in fines because I can guarantee drivers are doing 50mph or more on what is basically no more than a lane. I even see the same cars doing this – they’re going too fast for me to get their number unfortunately.
This, alongside the issue of traffic congestion, is why the government (regardless of who’s in office) needs to get moving on developing a modern, mass public transportation system and move away from car dependency.
It is not fiscally sustainable for the government to maintain an ever-expanding road network for (mostly single-person occupancy) cars, nor is it environmentally sustainable, or sustainable for the physical health and safety of everyone who lives on the island.
Cayman needs to implement a large fleet of higher capacity buses, explore the feasibility of other alternative public transport options (such as boats/ferries), and develop infrastructure to make cycling (or scooters) a viable and SAFE method of getting around (painted bike lane gutters aren’t enough when you don’t have realistic protection between you and the high speed metal boxes going 50mph) – same goes for walking, but that would also require the government to start implementing better planning around the implementation of mixed zoning areas (i.e. areas that support housing and commercial spaces, preferably in the same general space), high density housing, give incentives to people to live closer to where they work, and of course tackle housing prices.
What I don’t understand is why anyone coming to Cayman doesn’t have to take a driving test. Other jurisdiction require tests to be taken even if you have a license to drive in your home country. While I recognise resources could be a problem, I would think over time this would support itself and would hopefully keep some drivers who clearly haven’t a clue off the roads.
Umm yeah. Drunks and speeders. Thanks Sherlock
Kudos to Operation Winter Guardian for snagging four DUIs on New Year’s Eve. Perhaps next year we’ll aim for five and really shake things up. Meanwhile, on any given Tuesday, the roads in Cayman are a demolition derby of bad drivers, speed demons, and people scrolling Instagram at 40 mph.
a by-product of rcips not enforcing basic rules of the road.
free simple solutions to terrible driving standards:
1.bring in private run and regulated traffic police who are funded by fines.
cig will makes 10x times as much on fines.
police can then do real work or we can reduce their numbers.
win-win-win.
2. as per the uk, do not accept jamaican driving license
3. if you cause an accident or get charged with careless driving , you must automatically re-sit driving test
Shameful
Without wholesale changes to the traffic law, DVDL, and police traffic unit, the roads will continue to be a free-for-all. The current combination of terrible enforcement, terrible drivers, deathtraps on the road, number of uninsured vehicles, roads still not safe for cyclists and pedestrians, confusing new road layouts etc will just continue.
For those interested in the confusing new road layouts, see the official NRA video on how to use the new roundabout at the top of Fairbanks/LPH. Video says one thing, the signs say something else. You couldn’t make it up, but obviously someone has!
Water is also wet.
Above your both wrong!
There is NO drivers education in the Cayman Islands and that’s the core issue. In a proper drivers education program studdents are shown visual evidence of what could occur when people speed and drive drunk. Otherwise they will never know till it happens to them.
How many persons who crashed in to stationary objects late at night were not breathalyzed?
You would have to be brave enough to ask that kind of question. I don’t know who would be that stupid. Now let me tell you about a donkey!
The ineffectiveness of the RCIPS is bordering on criminal.
Is there no pride in serving the community and protecting lives and property?
It amazing how little is accomplished by so many people and such a large budget.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2024/02/15/opinion-is-caymans-safe-reputation-at-risk/
400+ officers, roads are dangerous and multiple unsolved gun crimes on three tiny islands.
Grogg the Ork on Drunks, Speeders, and Chaos on the Roads
Opening Rant:
“Oi, humies! Grogg’s back, an’ I’ve been hearin’ about yer roads again. Seems like da fastest way ta meet yer Emperor—or whoever ya worship—is ta drive like a maniac after chuggin’ a barrel o’ grog! Honestly, I didn’t think humies could out-stupid Orks, but here we are. Yer roads are startin’ ta look like a battlefield—an’ not da fun kind where ya get loot after!”
Translation:
“Humans! Grogg’s back, and I’ve been hearing all about the chaos on your roads. It seems the quickest way to meet your maker—or whoever you worship—is by driving like maniacs after drinking yourselves senseless! Honestly, I didn’t think humans could surpass Orks in recklessness, but clearly, I was wrong. Your roads look like war zones—but without the fun of looting the aftermath!”
Drunks Behind the Wheel:
“So lemme get this straight: ya lot drink yer brains out, jump in yer shiny metal boxes, an’ then try ta play chicken with da laws of physics? That’s yer idea of a good time? Even Grogg don’t mix drinkin’ an’ drivin’! When we Orks drink, we stay put—cuz it’s hard ta aim a big shoota when ya see double. An’ let me tell ya, Gork an’ Mork don’t forgive bad drivin’, even if ya shout ‘WAAAGH!’ first.”
Translation:
“Let me get this straight: you humans drink yourselves senseless, climb into your shiny cars, and then try to defy the laws of physics? That’s your idea of fun? Even Orks know better than to mix drinking and driving! When we drink, we stay put—it’s hard to aim a big gun when you’re seeing double. And trust me, our gods, Gork and Mork, don’t forgive bad driving, no matter how loudly you yell ‘WAAAGH!’ beforehand.”
Speeding in the Dark:
“An’ wot’s dis about speedin’? Who ya racin’? Da Tyranids? I seen humies barrelin’ down da road like dey’re runnin’ from a Carnifex—but da only thing waitin’ for ya at da finish line is a tree or a ditch!
But it gets even better. Some o’ ya lot are speedin’ around at night without yer lights on. WHY? Oh, cuz yer worried it might ‘drain da battery.’ Brilliant! Even Gork an’ Mork’d stop an’ say, ‘Dis lot’s too crazy even fer us!’ If ya really wanna go fasta, paint yer car red—works fer Orks—but at least keep da lights on, ya gits!”
Translation:
“And what’s this about speeding? Who are you racing—Tyranids? I’ve seen humans speeding down the road like they’re fleeing from a Carnifex, but all that’s waiting at the finish line is a tree or a ditch!
But it gets even worse. Some of you speed around at night with your lights off. WHY? Oh, because you think it might ‘drain the battery.’ Genius! Even Gork and Mork would look at that and say, ‘This lot’s too crazy even for us!’ If you really want to go faster, paint your car red—that works for Orks—but at least keep your lights on!”
Chaos on Four Wheels:
“Da article says drunks an’ speeders are causin’ most o’ yer serious crashes. Well, duh! It’s like strappin’ a grot ta a rocket an’ hopin’ fer da best. But instead o’ fixin’ da problem, yer roads just keep gettin’ worse. An’ when ya leave yer cars abandoned on da roads overnight, it’s a wonder dey don’t get krumped or tossed fer scrap by mornin’. Maybe dat’s wot ya need—some Ork-style deterrents ta teach ya a lesson!”
Translation:
“The article says drunks and speeders are responsible for most of your serious crashes. Well, obviously! It’s like strapping a grot to a rocket and hoping for the best. But instead of fixing the problem, your roads just keep getting worse. And when you leave cars abandoned on the roads overnight, it’s amazing they don’t get smashed or stripped for parts by morning! Maybe you need some Ork-style deterrents to teach you a lesson!”
Mount Trashmore: The Ultimate Deterrent
“Now, if Grogg were in charge, here’s wot I’d do:
Install a giant claw above every road. If ya speed, drive drunk, or turn off yer lights at night, da claw picks ya up an’ tosses ya in one swift move onto da top of Mount Trashmore! Imagine dat—speedin’ at 100 miles per hour on Queen’s Highway, only ta find yerself takin’ a ballistic shortcut straight to da dump!
Dat’s some serious lift, humies. Speed, gravity, an’ ballistics all rolled into one. At dat point, ya might as well brace yerself, kiss yer nether regions goodbye, an’ hope Gork or Mork are watchin’ fer a laugh!”
Translation:
“If Grogg were in charge, here’s what I’d do:
Install giant claws over every road. If you speed, drive drunk, or turn off your lights at night, the claw would grab you and toss you in one swift move onto the top of Mount Trashmore!
Imagine speeding at 100 miles per hour on Queen’s Highway, only to find yourself taking a ballistic shortcut straight to the dump! That’s some serious lift—speed, gravity, and ballistics all working together. At that point, you’d better brace yourself, kiss your nether regions goodbye, and hope the gods of chaos are watching for a good laugh!”
“Even da Adeptus Ridiculous, fer all his love o’ starin’ chaos in da eye an’ blastin’ it ta bits wiv his fancy plasma cannon, don’t dare drive past sundown. He’s got logic, precision, an’ a knack fer krumpin’ nonsense, but even he knows better than ta take on yer Saturday night weekly demolition derby. I mean, who wants ta face drunken drivers tryin’ ta hit escape velocity on yer roads?”
Translation:
“Even the Adeptus Ridiculous, for all his fondness for staring chaos in the eye and striking it down with logic, precision, and a plasma cannon, avoids driving past sundown. He knows better than to face the Saturday night demolition derby you call traffic, where drunken drivers attempt to reach escape velocity on the highways!”
Grogg’s Final Words
“So dere ya have it, humies. Drivin’ ain’t hard—ya just gotta keep yer wits about ya an’ stop actin’ like grots. But nah, ya lot just can’t help yerselves, can ya? Guess I’ll be watchin’ from da sidelines, waitin’ fer da next big crash while ya blame everythin’ but yer own stupidity. An’ when ya finally figure it out, maybe Grogg’ll give ya a hand rebuildin’. Till den—WAAAGH!”
Translation:
“There you have it, humans. Driving isn’t hard—you just need to keep your wits about you and stop acting like grots. But no, you lot just can’t help yourselves, can you? I guess I’ll be watching from the sidelines, waiting for the next big crash while you blame everything but your own foolishness. And when you finally figure it out, maybe Grogg will lend a hand !
Grogg’s Public Service Krump Announcement
Grogg’s final words on the matter:
“An’ if all dis rantin’ an’ ravin’ saves even one humie from speedin’ off inta da ditch or gettin’ krumped, Grogg’ll count it as da best loot I’ve ever scored! Leavin’ ya wiv a smile an’ makin’ yer roads less of a gamble? Now dat’s a Waaagh wiv real purpose!”
Translation:
“And if all this ranting and raving saves even one human from speeding into a ditch or getting smashed, Grogg will count it as the best loot I’ve ever scored! Leaving you with a smile while making your roads a little less of a gamble? Now that’s a Waaagh with real purpose!”
I was sat on the waterfront area for about 15 minutes, having some lunch. In that time, I was into double figures for seeing drivers on their phone, sometimes texting, sometimes on a call. This was midweek, cruise ship day, so lots of pedestrian traffic looking the wrong way. The 21 phone offenses they ‘detected’ is frankly embarrassing.
Here’s my favorite traffic related sight from yesterday.
A red Dodge pickup was being assisted to pull into traffic outside the central GT police station by an RCIPS officer. The pickup had a set of ladders easily overhanging by at least a metre. Was this ticketable item stopped to allow a little red marker be attached, or do you think he just pulled out without a word being said?
When the most basic of basics is allowed, we will continue to see this carnage on the roads.
I agree DUI’s are an issue but seriously only 85 speeding tickets. You can do that in one day on this island. Let alone 21 days. What a joke
Ok yes DUI is a problem in Cayman but let’s get all the stats together in every accident and let’s see what is the big problem.
Age
Nationality
Sex
Speeding
Single or multiple car
Location
Even vehicle make and colour
This is what I’d like to see, why won’t the stats dept look into this that’s what they’re paid to do! Lazy B…
The amount of speeders I see on the roads these days and believe it or not 80% are in Honda fits. This is a problem we need to fix, maybe we raise the speed limit on some roads. Not reduce them as people get bored and tend to speed.
As for DUI on Cayman 24 arrests in a month really isn’t a big problem compared to the lack of driving skills we have here now.
How do we fix or culture with DUI, speeding etc well we can’t and won’t for at least a generation or two. Even Expats who come here for the first few months behave, then they see everyone doing it so they do. Simy there’s so simple answer to fix this until we get self driving cars, which isn’t that far away.
Reckless drivers don’t fear the rozzers who for the most part cannot even use a roundabout properly or have a phone in their hands.
Anyone on the roadways daily faces reckless and dangerous drivers who simply don’t care.
Just this week, an asshole in a white BMW saloon raced through the traffic on the Esterly Tibbetts to West Bay in broad daylight at speeds up to 80 mph.
Nothing will change until drivers fear actual punishment.
The insurance industry and body shops will tell you that many of the accidents are in fact in, or at, roundabouts stemming from failing to indicate and/or overtaking inside the roundabout or vehicles ahead chiseling into traffic too soon when they do not hold right of way. These are Traffic Regs offenses that the RCIPS refuses to observe or enforce. Most of the close calls and near misses are from ever-present reckless drivers that are able to run full circuits around Grand Cayman without any expectation of opposition. We need a new CoP that will listen to the public, review the bounty of accident and fatality data correctly and arrive at the only sensible response: a fully-scaled, staffed, and functioning 24/7/365 Traffic Department writing the tickets that alter expectations and driving behavior. We also need changes to the Traffic Act and Regs to regulate bike lane infrastructure so that it remains a safe space from intrusion by both moving, parked cars and bus/taxis.
Still no speed traps set up on a daily basis. So no enforcement means nothing will change. Any infraction needs to be dealt with to get this under control. Will it take a MP family member being killed by a dangerous driver before anything happens?
Just common cents ya now what am sayin. Youth need role models to look up to how to act. Big Mac McKeeva should be giving speeches lecture set em straight the youth everyone no more playin yall to be unburdened from what has been.
Wibble.
CNS: When people are convicted of DUI, can you please start publishing their names. Maybe a weekly or monthly article giving the details. This is publicly available information, and you routinely report other concluded cases from the courts. I think that there is a culture here that drink driving is ok, you could help change this if people knew they would be named and shamed when convicted.
DUI is the problem but only 23 arrests? Do me a favour! Here’s a couple of suggestions: Uber – so the taxi mafia can wash the blood off their hands, and teach people to keep left unless passing slowing traffic or turning!
The drunks that rationalize driving home impaired, risking their own lives and those of everyone around them, just to selfishly save themselves $50, on a $200 night out, where they planned to be drinking to annihilation, with the usual other drunks, shouldn’t have a work permit or a driver’s license. Send them home to grow up, or put them in jail. Drinking is supposed to be for adults. If DUI were a criminal offense, and not a traffic offense, with a reasonable expectation of apprehension, we would have fewer untimely funerals. Reason enough to make it so. Uber doesn’t fix this mindset, and ofc it would still be $50, dummies.
You noticed that the right lane idiots are also the most likely to be blazing their lights on high beam?
joey hew said no to uber to protect the rip-off taxi cartel.
he has blood on his hands.
Simply mandating the use of a regulated smart phone based app by all taxi operators would bring the pricing issue under control.
Those DUI arrests and or charges are most probably the checks done in the case of an accident and if the owner of victim vehicle of the collision demands for it !