Almost a quarter of the respondents to last week’s cayCompass.com online poll who live in the Cayman Islands say they have been involved in at least one traffic accident during the past five years.
Of the 620 respondents, 47 – 7.6 per cent – said they didn’t live in the Cayman Islands.
Of the remaining 573 respondents, 139 of them – 24.3 per cent of residents – said they had been in one or more traffic accidents during the past five years. The large majority of them – 98 people or 70.5 per cent of those who said they had been in an accident – were involved in one accident; 23 – 16.6 per cent of those in accidents – said they were in two; and 18 people – 12.9 per cent of those in accidents – said they had been in three or more accidents during the past five years.
Drinking while driving was involved in many of the accidents.
“Some drunk local teens scraped past our car while we were in it, in the car park,” one person said. “They proceeded to get out and hurl abuse at us, as though we had done something wrong, but when my husband got out and suggested we call the police – they jumped back in their car and slinked away. Typical big talkers who don’t take responsibility for their actions.”
“A drunk driver hit my car then knocked a guy off a motorcycle then tried to run,” said someone else. “The police dealing with it bungled it so bad none of us have ever been compensated.”
One person who said they had been in three more accidents during the past five years said one was a hit and run that involved evasion from the police.
“The police gave him a warning when they finally caught up with him,” said the respondent. “He was drunk and asked me why I was so upset.”
“I was in a line waiting for the traffic light to change and somebody hit my car from behind,” said another person. “I think that people in Cayman should all go back to traffic school, I really hate the unnecessary lines in the morning for people that do not pay attention in traffic or do not allow the traffic to flow.”
Another person said they were hit twice by drivers not paying attention.
“People need to pay much more attention when driving on the public roads,” said the driver. “Plus many of the foreign drivers need more training in driving lessons and need to know our roads much better than they do when it comes to driving in the Cayman Islands.”
The largest segment of the poll’s respondents – 434 people or 75,7 per cent of those who said they live in the Cayman, reported that they had been in no traffic accidents in the past five year.
“I always drive defensively expecting the driver in front and back to do something wrong,” said one person.
“None, thankfully, but I see at least three every week on my short drive to work and back,” said someone else. “Let’s put up signs before every roundabout directing traffic to the appropriate lanes.”
“People disregard the traffic rules every day,” said another person. “Just because I’m aware of it and am a careful driver, I have not been involved in an accident. Yet.”
“I am a mature adult and I drive safely. I avoid places where the young idiots drive,” said one person.
“None, but my car was in one without me, thanks to a drunk who used my car without permission while I was away on holiday,” said someone else.
“I’m British. Our driving test is tough and we drive well,” said another respondent.
Next week’s poll question
What is your view on the potential closure of a portion of West Bay Road, with traffic being rerouted to an extended Esterley Tibbetts Highway?
I support it totally
I support it mostly
I am against it somewhat
I am against it totally
I don’t know
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