From Royal Cayman Islands Police Service

RCIPS’ Holiday Safety Initiative and its road enforcement campaign, Operation Magpie, end today with no road fatalities or serious accidents having taken place during the holiday season.  This positive conclusion to an otherwise deadly year on Cayman’s roads reflects the efforts of police, the media and the community to improve our collective safety.

“This is a relief and a good result,” says Chief Inspector Claudia Brady, Area Commander for George Town, “and shows that our safety campaign efforts, other initiatives like the National Drug Council’s Purple Ribbon Bus, and the media’s assistance with spreading safety messages, has paid off.

Despite that good news, the high number of overall DUI arrests shows that some people still aren’t getting the message.”

Since the beginning of the Holiday Safety Initiative, which began on 30 November, there have been 32 DUI arrests, in addition to 52 prosecutions initiated for Speeding and 48 for Misuse of Phone.  Further, 253 tickets were issued and 226 collisions reported.

 However, there were only 5 DUI arrests during the last week of the campaign including New Year’s weekend, and only 36 collisions, fewer than weeks prior.

 “Drivers were being more sensible last week,” observes Inspector Adrian Barnett, Head of the Traffic Management Unit, “in part because they knew we would be out in force, thanks to the media and constant safety messages.

 But we also had one week in December where there were as many as 69 accidents, which is very high. The Traffic Management Unit is being reinforced because we know that the need for enforcement and road investigations is only going to increase.”

 The RCIPS Holiday Safety Initiative also focused on personal, home and business safety, as well as water-related safety, with regular appearances of officers in the media discussing safety concerns and tips.  Improving road safety, however, was the main priority of the safety campaign, which began with the release of a road safety documentary, “Road Impact: Cayman Islands”, a joint production of the RCIPS and Cayman 27. The film explores the impact of road fatalities on families and the wider community.  The RCIPS plans to continue its road safety message even though the holiday campaign is over, and plans screening of the documentary in schools and elsewhere.

 The documentary can be found on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbcYDgMjG3o&feature=youtu.be

Operation Magpie: Totals 30 November – 4 January 2016

Collisions 226

Misuse of Phone 48

Tickets 253

Seat Belt 35

Speeding 52

DUI 32

No License 3

No Insurance 9