A second motorist was killed on Cayman Islands’ roads over the festive period following a fatal crash on Esterley Tibbetts Highway on Boxing Day afternoon.
The single-vehicle collision, in which the car caught fire after crashing into a tree, came just hours after airport worker Romario Jacquet, 26, was killed in another single-vehicle crash.
The two fatalities prompted police to divert more officers to traffic operations and issue a fresh appeal to motorists to take care on the roads.
In a press release issued on Friday, Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks called the two fatalities “a true tragedy”.
“However, I must say that the behaviour we have recently been observing on the roads has been appalling. There have been 14 road fatalities for this year, with 4 being in December alone. Clearly, there has been a deterioration of driving standards, and even multiple fatal collisions do not seem to have had any impact on the behaviour of many road users, who continue to display a disregard for road safety,” he added.
Car caught fire
In the latest tragic event to add to Cayman’s poor road safety record, at around 4.30pm on Boxing Day afternoon, police and other emergency services responded to a report of a serious single-vehicle collision on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, near Canal Point Drive, involving a Honda Fit.
It was understood that five people were in the car at the time of the crash. The Honda Fit was travelling northbound along Esterley Tibbetts when it left the roadway, collided with a tree, and caught fire.
Emergency medical services and the Cayman Islands Fire Service attended the scene. The fire was extinguished and the five occupants of the vehicle were transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital by ambulance, with two people being in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle was subsequently pronounced dead.
The other four occupants of the car remain in hospital, with one in critical condition, and the others being treated for what appear to be serious injuries, say police.
First fatal crash victim named
The fatal crash was tragically the second to occur on Boxing Day. The first crash happened just after 2:20am on Shamrock Road in the vicinity of Midway Close, according to information released by police. Police said the single-vehicle collision happened when a Subaru sedan, travelling eastbound along Shamrock Road, left the roadway and collided with a tree.
Emergency services attended the location and three occupants of the car were transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment by ambulance, while one was transported via private vehicle. The driver of the car was subsequently pronounced dead and the three others are thought to remain in hospital.
The driver has since been named by his family and media reports as Romario Jacquet, 26, a Jamaican national from Rockfort, east Kingston.
Speaking to Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner, Jacquet’s father Bikela Jacquet said that he took his son to live with him in the Cayman Islands two and a half years ago. Romario, who is called Mari by his father, worked at Owen Roberts airport and was understood to be driving home from an office party when the accident occurred. The 26-year old was, said his father, planning to build his dream home in his native Jamaica.
The two Boxing Day tragedies occurred just a day after a multi-vehicle collision on Shamrock Road on Christmas Day near Beach Bay Road.
People, including one child, who were injured in the three-vehicle collision shortly before 5:50pm on Christmas Day afternoon, have since been discharged from hospital.
More police on roads
In light of the series of serious collisions over the festive period, the RCIPS says it has diverted additional resources to road safety and traffic operations, and motorists should expect to see a further increased police presence on the roads throughout the coming days. Police continue to appeal to road users to drive safely, and to not drive while drunk, speeding or using mobile phones.
The police service launched its annual Winter Guardian campaign before Christmas. This week,police said they responded to 36 collisions, made 4 DUI arrests, and prosecuted 30 persons for various other driving offenses, as part of the operation.
Police are again supporting the National Drug Council’s Arrive Alive 345 campaign, of which Compass Media is also a sponsor. This includes the Designated Driver Programme, an initiative among local restaurants to offer complimentary soft drinks to designated drivers.
On New Year’s Eve, the Purple Ribbon Bus service will provide a free bus service between 9pm and 4am for all districts on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.
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Speed is a convenient scapegoat. It’s not possible go fast enough on this island not to walk away from a crash. It’s the fact that most of the cars here are too small or old and junky to be safe in. Buy a new Explorer or Tahoe and your survival is all but assured. RIP to these poor victims of cars that should never have been on our roads.
It’s more than evident for some years now that there is much more dangerous driving on our roads. And appeals fall on deaf ears of persons who choose to drive dangerously! Campaigns are also not working sufficiently well.
There needs to be a sustained, consistent, visible, police presence, setting examples of proper driving skills and ENFORCEMENT of the traffic laws!
Both accidents involved driving off the road into trees.
We hardly ever see police cars on the roads, but are constantly being passed by drivers going well over the speed limits