The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) Traffic Department wants the Legislative Assembly to approve changes to the laws governing motor vehicles so that the Cayman Islands can be in line with the standards of car-makers.

At present the laws on the statute books makes it illegal for persons to operate a motor vehicle with less than 35 per cent transparency at all windows. However, today’s manufacturers are making vehicles with the back glass and the rear passenger windows fully tinted.

The windows on front passenger and driver’s side are at regulation.

Head of the Traffic Department, Chief Inspector Courtney Myles said Traffic has no problem with how the vehicles are now being made nor the fact that the are being imported into the country.

“The problem is that about 95 percent of the SUVs are made that way and people are contravening the law. We want the wording changed to specifically name front side windows only.”

If changed, the Cayman Islands would be in line with the standard practice of many manufacturers.
 “We don’t care about the back window, as long as the driver’s window and the front passenger’s window are clear.”

CI Myles said that he has submitted the proper document to the ‘powers that be’ for the legislation to be adjusted but nothing has happened.

“I know that they are busy with a lot of things but I have heard nothing about it,” he said.

Cayman Net News contacted Carson Ebanks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication and Work who said the matter of the changing of the legislation was discussed with the police but nothing was submitted to the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Ebanks said that there are concerns about motor vehicles’ front glass and front side windows being tinted hiding the identity of the drivers.

In the meantime, Mr Myles, speaking on the Cayman Islands Road Safety Advisory Committee-proposed point system for drivers noted in general terms that a lot of research would have to go into developing the system.

“We would have to look at countries and see whether it worked or not. Too many times we implement things without the proper research going into it,” Mr Myles told Cayman Net News.

“This project is a big one which will involve drafting of legislation, which will take some time. I need a small change in the legislation and I can’t get it,” he said.

Mr Myles also had a warning for drivers who use soft shoulders to enter onto main roads. It is common practise for drivers to travel parallel to the traffic on these soft shoulder areas and then thrust into it.

“That must not be done. It is dangerous driving,” he said.

Coupled with mounting traffic congestion and a high fatality rate on the country’s roads the RCIPS are dealing with numerous problems on a daily basis which are compounded by dangerous junctions, poor quality roads and bad driving standards.