From the RCIPS

The RCIPS has had a busy start to this year’s festive road safety drive – Stay Alive. Twenty people have been arrested, 15 of those for DUI. The other arrests were in relation to various offences such as  dangerous driving, careless driving, disqualified driving and driving without being qualified. In addition, 23 people have been ticketed for using a cellphone whilst driving, 11 for speeding, 7 for failing to wear a seatbelt and 44 for a variety of other road traffic offences.

In the first ten days of the campaign 32 road crashes have been reported. In the last week alone a young man has been airlifted off island for treatment to injuries sustained when his motorcycle was involved in a crash with a Toyota in Red Bay, and another man remains in hospital in George Town after being struck by a Suzuki as he worked in a manhole last Friday. The female driver of the Suzuki was arrested on suspicion of careless driving and operating an unlicensed vehicle, no insurance and no certificate of road worthiness.

Inspector Adrian Barnett assures the communities of the Cayman Islands that the zero tolerance approach to traffic enforcement will continue. “ This campaign is all about raising awareness of the issue of road safety through education and enforcement,” he said “It’s clear that many people are still not heeding our warnings – they seem to believe that the law does not apply to them.

“Well, 20 people who thought they were above the law have been arrested so far and now face the consequence of court, fines and disqualification. More than 80 other offences were detected and those who were ticketed face the prospect of having a cash shortage this Christmas because of the associated fines. But let’s face it – the people who are hit hardest are those in hospital and their families. My message to those who continue to drink and drive, speed, drive while being distracted by cellphones etc. is that they should think about those people before getting behind the wheel. Do not be the person responsible for another family having to go through this heartache and trauma.”

Updates will continue to be provided throughout the campaign period.