Police warn drivers to take care as schools re-open
(CNS): As government and private schools will all be re-opening fully next week the police are warning drivers to take extra care when students are coming to and from school. Students will also be walking to and from schools and crossing the roads as the school buses pick them up or set them down so motorists are reminded to stop when the buses do and wait until they move on. Police urged drivers to be extremely cautious when approaching school zones and to obey traffic lights when flashing. It is an offence to exceed the speed limit of 15mph in school zones with ticketable fines starting at $200.
But for every 1mph over the speed limit an additional $20 will be added to the $200 fine up to a maximum of $500. It is also an offence under the current Traffic Law to fail to give ample clearance to a school vehicle or overtake such vehicle while it is engaged in setting down or picking up passengers. It is a ticketable offence which carries a fine of $150.00.
“Motorist should treat every student as their own and to respect every student as they would expect others to treat theirs,” said Inspector Barnett of the Traffic Management.
Meanwhile, the District Commander, of the Eastern Districts, Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks added that there will be an increase in the police presence on the streets as the Schools reopen in Savannah, Bodden Town, Frank Sound, North Side and East End.
“There may be delays in the school zones due to new students and advice the motoring public to exercise caution when travelling through these areas,” he said. “Officers will be on locations to minimize traffic congestion and ensure that the law is adhered to.”
He also urged motorists not only to follow the law but to be cautious and courteous.
Category: Crime
Will police be out on South Sound Road to catch the drivers who are flying down every morning going 60-70 mph overtaking 10 plus cars in one go.What a shame to have such great revenue opportunities for the country slip away. Every day I have to contain myself not to get in a fight with one of those idiot drivers once I have caught up with them at the next stop ligh!
I hope they also stop the ones that are doing 15 mph…
And will they be there at 3pm to catch the school bus drivers doing the exact same, full of children?
Some hope! Wish the police were around this morning to pull over some wannabe "let's pretend I am a Formula 1 driver for the day but sadly have a naff bright yellow car that I have trumped up with a pathetic exhaust so everyone can hear how even more naff my car is."
Mr "Nigel Mansell" was weaving in and out of traffic using all lanes on Shamrock then Linford Pierson driving on both sides of the road to get 5 seconds in front of the person in front of him risking his own life and everyone elses. Mental driving is an every day occurrence here in Cayman some people just don't care about others on the road. It would be wonderful if certain people could drive like normal human earth beings and have respect for others on the road!
Agree with all of this except I'm not going to stop and wait while a bus is stopped with its lights flashing and the kid is still walking out the front door of their house… Buses should have set stops, not every 5 feet, and if the people aren't there you miss the bus, simple. You quickly learn to be there on time, a good life lesson :).
Can anyone tell me the rule on school buses and three lane roads, like the one outside Red Bay school with the middle turning lane? In some US states you aren't required to stop when there is a middle lane but I don't know what the law is here. The idea being that on a three lane road the bus driver must drop the kids off on the same side of the road as the direction of travel, so no-one should be crossing a three lane road.
Also what about 4 lane roads that have a central reservation, some states require you to stop if travelling in either direction.
From what I remember reading it says for any vehicle to stop in either direction, which would suggest that even on a divided road traffic should stop, which doesn't appear to be the practice.
First of all, all of the school zone flashing lights need to be tested to make sure they are in working order, and even have a sign posted on the poles to show the active school zone times in case the lights arent working. I know for sure that the ones at Triple C are not 100% functioning, so people are always going through there like it's a speedway. I emailed the RCIPS in 2012 (no response) and the NRA various times between 2012 & 2013 with no end result:
"Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 1:12 PM
Sorry to keep bothering you but the lights at CCC are definitely not working on the Agape Church side. Is there any progress on getting them fixed? I would also like to suggest perhaps a sign below the lights that states the actual school zone hours, in case that the lights aren't working? 730-830 am and then 245-345 pm?
Please let me know when they will be fixed. Because they aren't working, even school buses are speeding through during the actual times, and it's quite dangerous when all people are doing it."
I hope that someone within the responsible department is able to fix this problem soon.
If they are going to start enforcing the 15mph when lights are flashing law, they need to install some more lights – if you turn on to Walkers Road from Denham Thompson, Moxam Way etc, you're inside the existing lights, so there's no way to know they're on
There are also parts of the road where you won't see a speed limit sight right away. You should know it's a school zone and that the lights flash in the morning at starting time and afternoon at stopping time. I would, however, agree with other posters that a sign with the times would be useful so that we all know this and don't necesarily need to look for the flashing lights.
Police presence AND ticketing is the only remedy.
Not only when schools are open, but 24/7.
Can we also send these school bus drivers to driver's ed? Some of them are just crazy drivers. From speeding to stopping on a roundabout or blind corner they dont give motorists a chance!
If they stop at roundabouts it's probably just to make up for the fact that they NEVER stop at Stop signs. Check the bus drivers going through the 3-way stop at George Hicks with a bus load of kids at 3pm any day of the week.
Check the bus drivers and where they are from and that should explain the mad driving of the buses. One of these days those buses are going to overturn on those roundabouts.
The American rule about school buses is very dangerous – nowhere else adopts it. Children are safer waiting to cross the road.
Yeah, those little kids should watch out for themselves..
The RCPIS really need to be in walkers road at 3pm as it is 15mph limit but you get school buses driving down the wrong way overtaking the queue and even going on the pavement very dangerous, they also speed. They are not the only guilty ones but they are full of school children. Some kid will die crossing that road soon why not have a crossing patrol its for 15-20 mins max
Also check out the buses on South Sound road. 30 mph is their minimum not maximum.