Drink drivers, tint, obscured number plates, dangerous driving, out of date coupons and driving without insurance are being targeted by police and the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing during a road safety crackdown which began, Friday 27 July 2012.

Over the next two weeks random road checks, at all times of the day and night,  will be carried out in all districts of the Cayman Islands to crack down on those who break the traffic laws and drive unlicensed vehicles – all with the aim of making Caymans road safer.

Static road checks, marked cars, unmarked cars and random traffic stops will all form part of the operation. DVDL staff will also be assisting police at the scene of checks by carrying out roadside vehicle inspections to uncover any addition traffic offences. Vehicles that fail the inspection will immediately be taken off the road.

Superintendent Adrian Seales, RCIPS Operations, said: “An average of 30 road crashes are reported every week in Cayman -for a country of this size that is an outrageous figure! Too many people are being killed and injured through dangerous driving, drink driving and the use of unroadworthy or unlicensed vehicles which are often uninsured.

“In addition, we are all acutely aware that some vehicles in the Cayman Islands are used for criminal activity such as the transportation of drug / firearms or as getaway cars following criminal incidents. All too often vehicle windows are tinted and license plates are obscured to intentionally hinder police investigations or in an attempt to prevent vehicles being identified in CCTV images.

“During the first few days of the crackdown drivers who are stopped will be instructed to remove the tint/ license plate covers. If they don’t they will be ticketed.  But from Monday, 30 July, they will not be given that option. They will immediately be ticketed, there will be no discretion used. However, let’s be clear, if arrestable offences are detected at any time during the crackdown then people will end up in the police cells and their vehicles could be seized.”

Mr. Courtney Myles, Assistant Manager, Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing, said: “The aim is to continue our working partnership with the RCIPS to ensure road safety and provide tips on how to make our roads safer. The police are primarily responsible for enforcement and we are responsible for regulating the Traffic Law. At the end of the day we all have our role to play and that is why we adopt the motto, “Safe driving is everyone responsibility.” With this multi-agency approach, we want the motoring public to be well informed of safe driving. Therefore by working with RCIPS it is our hope to reduce major incidents on our roads.”

Mr. Seales added: “There will be some disruption to travel as a result of the checks so we would ask drivers to allow a little more time for their journeys. We will attempt to keep disruption to an absolute minimum.  But would ask the many law abiding motorists to remember that these road checks are all about making the roads of the Cayman Islands safer for them, their families and their communities.”