With the holiday weekend quickly approaching, both Governor Martyn Roper and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson are appealing to motorists to exercise caution on local roads, as collisions continue to increase.
It comes as the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service reported 28 motor vehicle accidents over the weekend from 18-19 Dec., one involving a pedestrian who received serious but non-life threatening injuries on Smith Road in a hit-and-run incident.
“Please drive safely on the roads this festive season. Slow down and don’t drink and drive. We want to ensure everyone gets home safely for Christmas,” Roper said in his message that accompanied the police stats Wednesday afternoon.
Police said last weekend was the third in its RCIPS Holiday Safety campaign, Winter Guardian, and it was “the busiest yet” for officers enforcing the road safety component of the campaign.
This, as 57 total prosecutions were made: 28 speeding tickets, 27 for tint, and 2 DUI’s.
Premier Wayne Panton has also lent his voice to the call for drivers to exercise due care and attention while on the roads this holiday season.
“We all know over the Christmas holidays the roads are very busy with increased traffic and that brings increased risk. Please slow down and be patient on the roads. We want everyone to arrive home safely for Christmas,” he said in his voice message.
Click to listen to Governor Roper’s message:
Click to listen to Premier Panton’s message:
“We know the lead up to Christmas can be a busy time. With only a few days to go and last minute Christmas preparations to organise, we want to stress to the community to please be patient and drive carefully on the roads. We want to see everyone arrive home safely for Christmas,” Head of Traffic & Roads Policing Unit Dwayne Jones said in the statement.
Manderson, in his brief audio message, stressed the importance of keep off the roads, if drinking.
“Let us make this Christmas time in the Cayman Islands a very special one for all of us,” he said.
Click to listen to DG Manderson’s message:
Superintendent Brad Ebanks, who is leading the Winter Guardian campaign, said efforts to keep Cayman’s roads safe will continue over the holidays.
“We will continue our multi-faceted approach with increased police enforcement and visibility in the lead up to Christmas and through to the New Year, not only on the roads but also within the community and commercial establishments, to help keep the Cayman Islands safe over the festive season,” he said.
No-one likes receiving a ticket, he said, “particularly at Christmas, but the police have an important role to play in making our roads safer for all road users, and our enforcement efforts help send a clear message to those motorists that choose to break the law.”
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