Drivers Rev Up Safety Skills

Because it is essential to keeping Cayman's roads safe for everyone, government and private-sector employees were recently trained in Safety Inspection Awareness of heavy-equipment vehicles.

"This course is vital to the promotion of road safety, and it reinforces the skills set that all heavy equipment users should use," explained Department of Vehicle Licensing and Transport (DVLT) Supervisor Roy Bush. "This is part of ongoing project involving a revamping of our vehicle inspection procedures."

DVLT organised the training, in partnership with Caycan Safety Consulting LTD.

The weeklong course begins with a pre-exam to assess the knowledge participants already have, and culminates with a final exam. Topics include air; hydraulic and electrical braking systems; suspension; coupling devices; steering; frame; wheels; tires; and load securement.

"Cayman's road users must understand the responsibility of operating complicated machinery, whether it's your day-to-day vehicle or heavy equipment," said DVLT Deputy Director Perry Powell. "Providing these types of courses helps to educate heavy-equipment users as to the benefit of properly maintaining their fleets, and further improves their safety standards."

Participants for the first week's sessions were Roy Bush, Burmon Scott and Stephen Quinland of DVLT; Wayne McField, William Bodden, and Errol Forbes of the National Road Authority (NRA); Adar Ebanks and Ernest Ebanks of the Department of Vehicle and Equipment Services (DVES); Jose Guerrero of the Fire Services.

In the second week, participants were Goldburn Bodden, Gene Bodden, Roger Ebanks and Hanstead Jackson of DVLT; Wayne McField, Roger Romero and Tony Martinez of the NRA; Jeffery Oliveros and Anderson Skinner of DVES; Joe Scott of the Fire Department; Wilburt Myles and Michael Caputo of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.

For further information contact: Ruth Smith