RCIPS encourages good driving habits

Just before Halloween, Inspector Dwayne Jones and Senior Police Constable Donovan Chong of the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit, spoke about Operation Quaker on a media appearance, encouraging drivers to exercise caution especially over the Halloween weekend, with children out trick-or-treating and Halloween events taking place. These types of appearances as well as regular social media posts on safe driving topics and working with community partners are all part of the educational campaign tactics used by the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit to reach motorists about the importance of driving safely.

Over the weekend, the RCIPS continued their efforts with Operation Quaker, which focuses on excessive speed and drunk driving on the roadways. The operation aims to reduce the occurrence of serious and fatal collisions on the roadways as well as enforce other road safety rules such as not using mobile phones while driving and to not have excessive tint.

Following the appearance over the weekend, officers arrested four drivers on suspicion of DUI, with the highest blood-alcohol level of .264%, and issued tickets as follows:

• 10 for speeding

• 16 for use of mobile phones while driving

• 13 for excessive tint

Unfortunately, despite the warnings and prosecution efforts, officers still responded to just under 24 collisions over the weekend, with several involving injuries and one resulting in two persons being hospitalised with serious injuries.

The efforts of Operation Quaker will continue until the end of the year as part of our holiday road safety campaign. Motorists and other road users can expect to see an increase in spontaneous vehicular checkpoints throughout the island, with a focus on the weekends.

The RCIPS is imploring that everyone does their part in "Making the Cayman Islands Safer" by practicing good driving habits and encouraging others to do the same.