Turning signals are rarely used by motorists here in the Cayman Islands.

Failure to use turning signals. even if it is witnessed by the Cayman Island Police Traffic Unit, the offending motorists are never ticketed.

Failure to use turning signals correctly, or not used at all, cause accidents.

At the public meetings organised by the RCIPS last year, they heard many complaints from the public at the willful neglect by the large majority of motorists failing to use turning signals on their vehicles.

At the recent RCIPS crime report the largest number of traffic tickets given out was for illegal use of tinted windows.

Illegal tinted windows on vehicles have, to my knowledge, not been the cause of one traffic accident, serious or minor.

The penalty for illegal tint to windows on vehicles is higher than for turning signals not being used correctly.

At the last KESWICK meeting, the speaker from the UK asked the audience why don’t Cayman Islands’ motorists use their turning signals? The reaction from the audience was loud laughter..

However, is it a joke?

The police obviously think it is.

The motorist who has been hit by a car that has not signalled his/her intent doesn’t think it is a joke, either.

Today, we have published an article headlined, “Turning signals, often misused and overlooked”. I urge everyone to read it.

The salient points have been listed in bold type at the beginning of the article and it was written not with the Cayman Islands in mind. “Several countries” was the terminology used.

This is the beginning of the article:

“Signaling

“Nearly 70% of drivers use their turning signals incorrectly

“Failing to signal when overtaking another car, exiting a roundabout or parking are the most common oversights

“Technology, such as the dynamic LED turn signal, increases visibility and safety”.

My only negative comment to the above is, it doesn’t matter how much better technology is used to increase the visibility of the light if the driver doesn’t use his hand to move the indicator switch. Then, it isn’t going to make a happeny’s worth of difference.

The article does make some very good pointers on how to use the turning signal indicator.

I do hope members of the RCIPS hierarchy read the article. And ACT upon it.

This is not the first time I have written about this subject.

Cynically – it probably won’t be my last. Maybe, though, it won’t have the same headline.