From RCIPS

The RCIPS continues its efforts to ensure road safety through enforcement. Since 11 August, officers have been targeting motorists using mobile phones while driving, and in the month of September issued over 150 tickets for this offense.

However, despite enforcement efforts, officers continue to see a large number of people using phones while driving. Officers have also noticed a significant increase in the number of vehicles with what appears to be illegal tint, which also poses a safety concern around visibility, particularly at night. Checks will be made on any vehicle that appears to have illegal tint and anyone found to be in contravention of the law will be ticketed.

The RCIPS would like to remind motorists that the legal tint limits are 35% on the two front windows and 15% on all other windows with the exception of the front windscreen which should have only a six-inch strip, at the top (at any percentage). Tickets for tint violation start at $150 and repeat offenders will be warned for intended prosecution and sent to court where, on conviction, are liable to a greater fine.

“Over October we will continue to focus on mobile phone usage while driving, while also targeting persons with illegal tint,” says Acting Superintendent Brad Ebanks. “We continue to encourage all road users to drive safely and avoid unnecessary fines by ensuring their vehicles are roadworthy. It’s not only your safety but the safety of other road users that is at stake every time you operate your vehicle in an unsafe manner. We thank all those members of the public who prioritise safe driving behaviours every time they get behind the wheel of their vehicle.”

END

EDITOR: Whilst I 100 per cent concur with the RCIPS crackdown on the dangerous use of mobile phone usage whilst driving it still puzzles me while they have this almost obsession with persons driving with illegal tint on their car windows.

In fact the the most tickets the RCIPS issue is with the illegal tint crusade.

I have to ask them, as I have done many times, how many accidents are caused by illegal tint?

They have never provided me with any number. I can tell them why. There aren’t any. In fact tinting the windows of cars in countries with high UV values – Cayman often has the highest at # 11 -, helps the car driver and occupants with glare from not only the sun during the day but also at night – from oncoming car headlights. Whilst it doesn’t eliminate glare it softens the effect.

Tinting also blocks the harmful UV rays – Cayman’s lowest average id 9 and our highest is 11!

Tinting also helps prevent accidents when the sudden blinding effect from the sun and glare is diminished.

What causes many accident is the failure of motorists to signal. How many persons here in Cayman have been ticketed for failing to signal when they change lanes, turn right or left? I can tell you the figure because I check it out each year from the RCIPS’ statistics. The answer is ZERO!!!

What slows the traffic down mostly at roundabouts? Drivers not signaling their intention.

I contend that the failure of motorists to signal causes more accidents than even drivers on cell phones.

It is interesting that the actual fine for illegally tinting windows is more than not signaling.

How many RCIPS Press Releases have targeted signaling? I cannot remember one. We have been publishing iNews for over ten years and I have searched our archives. NONE is the result.

This emphasis on tinting over signaling is a mystery that no one, not even the RCIPs themselves, have come up with a satisfactory reason.

I welcome everyone’s views on this.

Colin Wilson