Among the changes made in the law and regulations, which had not been made public by Friday afternoon, is the introduction of a partial ban on using cell phones while driving.
“Effective 21 September, it will be against the law to talk, text, bbm etc., while driving a car,” according to a statement released by Ms O’Connor-Connolly’s office.
“Too many people have become too accustomed to checking e-mail or sending a text while behind the wheel, even though it’s as dangerous as drinking and driving,” said Deputy Premier O’Connor-Connolly.
“We have lost enough of our youth to speeding, and it our hope that this law will be a preventive measure and that over time it will change the attitudes of our citizens.”
The new offence of using a mobile telephone while operating a vehicle has been added to the Traffic Regulations and carries a $150 fine.
The Traffic Law does provide some exceptions in using mobile phones while driving, including the use of certain approved hands-free devices and using a hand-held phone to call 911 in case of emergency.
Road Code
The Traffic Law also brings with it some 12 new regulations and a revised Road Code, which provides a comprehensive guide to the conduct of all road users, including pedestrians, animal riders, motorcyclists and bicyclists.
The new Road Code has illustrates the correct way to maneuver around a roundabout and demonstrates what road signs mean. Some of the changes in the law relate to traffic fines, the correct level of tint and a new categorisation of motor vehicles – to include certain solely electric-powered cars that can be used on roads.
“The updated Traffic Law, regulations and new Road Code apply to everyone who uses the road – both drivers and pedestrians. Everyone should familiarise themselves with the new provisions and understand what their rights are,” Ms. O’Connor-Connolly stated.
Director of the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing David Dixon said: “There was a significant need to categorise the various types of vehicles to address the fee structure in the Traffic Regulations and to allow for the proper registration and licensing of electric vehicles. In addition, we have removed Group 5 from the driver’s license group in paragraph 4 relating to motor scooters, as these were best suited for the Group1 class of driver’s license.”
Another significant change provides for police officers to issue tickets to persons who park in disabled parking spots, without the required blue ‘Disabled Person Badge’.
There is also a change in the Regulations to ensure that driving instructors are properly licensed and regulated. But the law will grandfather in current driving instructors, who will be subjected to testing from to time to time to determine their suitability to instruct students, Mr. Dixon said.
Traffic fines have also been revised.
“For example, using a vehicle without registration plates was $25. This is now increased to $100. Failing to obey traffic signal/signs was $25 and will be increased to $200,” Mr. Dixon said.
Related Videos
It is horrifying seeing a woman driving her car with children inside, and talking over her cell phone. This new ban is long overdue, and a great way for the government to raise funds. I only hope the ban is effectively enforced.
So will this prevent the RCIP from using their radios while driving? What about the pilots of aircraft in the vicinity of the islands? They just might need to use their radios to communicate with appropriate air traffic controllers.
The answer is simple: appropriate training. I’m sure that the RCIP receive some sort of (at least) rudimentary training in using their radios in cars and I can assure you that all pilots are so trained.
The automobile training curriculum and licensing criteria needs to be modified to demonstrate the ability to at least dial and converse on a cellular telephone while driving. After all, if there is a 911 exception, everyone caught driving will cut off their current connection and dial 911.
The answer is to address the problem. But that won’t produce much revenue by way of additional fines, will it?
It’s one thing for government to pass a good new law, it’s another thing for the police to actually enforce it.
When every morning at 6am there’s idiots going 60 mph down west bay road without any police stopping them, I doubt they’ll be caring much about people on phones.
I wish that they could include driving in high beam as an offense too. As every night I drove from Georgetown to East End I encounter a lot of vehicles driving in high beams. There are some that no matter how you give them signals that their on high beams and i am blinded, they wont turn down there light still.
It is about time this law was passed!!! Men on the phone women on the phone it doesnt matter the gender. When we are behind the wheel we are supposed to DRIVE not EAt, not pick our nose, adjust our organs, put on lipstick or anything else but DRIVE. Our country has drivers from all over the world and everyone has learned different driving habits…Focus on driving and not every other distraction you can find. DRIVE DEFENSIVELY to protect yourself and others. In regard to children in the car the next law we need is to A. enforce seat belts on all drivers and passengers B. PUT ALL YOUNG CHILDREN IN SAFETY SEATS. THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED LAW. It bothers me to see children in drivers laps standing in the car unbelted with the windows all the way down. Parents it should be your desire to put your child in a safety seat. Government please make that the next safe driving law.
Finally. For quite some time I was hoping that it would eventually become a violation of the law for motorists who use a hand-held cell phone – whether for speaking, texting, checking e-mail, etc. Drivers who engage in these practices are totally irresponsible and exhibit great indifference and disregard for other users of the roads.
Statistics in the USA and other countries reveal that many serious accidents (some fatal) have been caused by drivers who become distracted while using cell phones.
It is hoped that the traffic law which takes effect on September 21st will discourage the practice. However, there will be those who couldn’t care less about human life and safety and ignore the law.
About time too….. The roads are presently full or morons who can barely drive apparently as they are swerving and weaving on their way whilst babbling on their phones and presumably reserving their place in heaven. Never mind fining them please take them off the roads for dangerous driving…..
rickincayman,
I wish that they could include driving in high beam as an offense too.
I bet that many of these cars are not actually driving with high beam – they are just left-wheel drive cars with headlights which were never adjusted for Cayman roads. On the road at night it looks exactly as if they have high beam on, because beam goes higher to the right, instead of the opposite. This is something which should be prevented at vehicle check-up, but they only check that headlights work. Never if they are properly aligned.
And yes, I agree with you, it is dangerous. For pedestrians and for drivers.
Good, but I don’t think it is going to change much. The main problem in Cayman Roads was enforcement of the law, not law itself. If I many times saw police cars driving along and people committing driving offenses next to police car without any reaction from police – why would it change after the law changes?
And the logic behind the english round a bout rules is wrong.
If you stay on the outside and can exit the first or second exit. Try doing that on the smallest round a bouts say at fosters, by the airport.
You will get into an accident for sure.
The rules should be simpler than that.
You are on the outside lane you take the first exit, end of story.
If you want to exit on the second, third or whatever exit. You stay on the inside, and when your exit is coming up, signal left, look over your left shoulder. Then get into outside exit lane, then exit.
Some of our round a bouts are too small for the english style rules of round a bouts.
I challenge anyone, to try going around the outside to the second exit on the small round a bout by fosters near the airport. You better have insurance first.
big berd, the logic is fine…as with many systems, it is the user who is the weakest link.
Since a lot of people cannot understand what ‘give way to your right’ means, any further rules are pretty much null and void. Also, those lovely people who stop and allow other roundabout users to go on ahead of them, don’t do that – your well intentioned but idiotic approach is more likely to cause an accident.
Your comment already has no merit. If you resort to name calling.
And you let me know when you are going to use that fosters roundabout, as required by law.
I would like to be there, as the witness, when your car gets hit when you try and bypass the first exit, on your way to the second exit, while on the outside lane.
That would be very amusing.
So if you are unable to follow that roundabout, and others similar to the fosters roundabout.
Then you create two seperate rules, for two separate kind of roundabouts.
Or the government must regulate the size, and keep building consistently sized roundabouts. No matter where they are placed.
Go ahead, want to argue with that reasoning, use that fosters roundabout as the law states. Exit on the second exit, while using the outside lane. I dare you to.
Big Berd,
The Fosters roundabout near the airport has 3 exits. Each entry point onto the roundabout has 2 lanes but each exit has only 1 lane.
The roundabout is well laid out well signed (in my opinion), if you enter the roundabout on the outside lane, you take the first exit. If you enter on the inside lane, you take either the second or third exit (ie you turn the car around).
On larger roundabouts (ie Butterfield), most of the exits have 2 lanes to enter. The reason there are 2 lanes is because you can be on the inside or outside lane (on the rounabout) to exit. If there is one lane, you have to be on the outside lane. This is to avoid bottlenecks on the roundabout (which there never should be).
And as for your recommendation on how to exit (when your exit is coming up, signal left, look over your left shoulder. Then get into outside exit lane, then exit) – please do not do this. First check your mirrors, then signal, then move. If you signal before you check your mirrors you can easily cause another driver to react in the wrong way.
As in most cases in life, the rules work. The problem lies with people not correctly knowing the rules.
Comment to big berd. Try this, any exit upto and including exiting at 12 o’clock (entering from 6 o’clock) is considered a left turn, anything after 12 would be a right turn. So in the case of fosters it is being used correctly, left is about 10 o’clock, right is about 2 o’clock.
They could just paint an arrow on the road to make it obvious, but I would be against a ‘Cayman version’ of road rules! Ignore any notion of the ‘second exit’ determining which lane to be in, that only applies on ‘most’ roundabouts, stick with the 12 o’clock version and you will rarely be wrong.