UTV Convoys: Clarity Is One Thing, Enforcement Is Another
Earlier this month, I wrote an open letter to the Chief of Police:
Are UTV operators authorized to direct traffic?
What we’ve all witnessed—convoys stopping cars, disrupting intersections, behaving like traffic marshals—demanded an answer.
To his credit, the Chief responded clearly in an interview with NoticiaCla:
No, this is not legal. It violates the law. Enforcement will follow.
That answer was necessary. But clarity alone doesn’t stop the bleeding.
One Letter, One Boy, and Over a Hundred Casualties
Following the Chief’s response, I received a copy of a letter sent to Parliament in August 2024. It was written by medical professionals at HOH, and its message was clear: the human toll of UTV and ATV accidents on Aruba is far worse than most people realize.
One case stands out. Ten-year-old Noah, visiting Aruba with his family, was severely injured in a UTV crash near the Natural Bridge. The vehicle flipped. His arm was trapped. By the time he reached the hospital, the damage was devastating: skin stripped, muscles torn, blood vessels ruptured, and permanent nerve damage. Noah will never regain full use of his hand. His life was changed forever—on what was meant to be a vacation.
And this is not an isolated case.
According to the hospital:
- In the past four years, more than 130 UTV/ATV-related injuries required emergency care.
- That’s one serious case every 10 days, and once a week post-COVID.
- The injuries range from bone fractures and head trauma to amputations, neurological damage, and death.
Which raises a very real and uncomfortable question:
Who is footing the bill?
The tourists? The operators? Or the Aruban taxpayer?
Because while these companies profit from recreational risk, the costs – medical treatment, emergency response, follow-up care – often fall on public shoulders.
That’s not sustainable. And it’s certainly not fair.
After the Chief’s Response, I Made Two Suggestions
In my second open letter, I moved from questions to solutions. I proposed two immediate and practical steps—actions that require no new legislation, just the will to act:
- Call in the permit holders. Not with flyers. Not via email. In person. Bring them in for a mandatory briefing with the police and relevant authorities. Make it clear—face to face—that the practices we’ve all witnessed are illegal, unsafe, and unacceptable. No ambiguity. No room for excuses. This is not about targeting anyone—it’s about drawing a line.
- Track who attends—and who doesn’t. Because if a business operator can’t even show up to a meeting with law enforcement, that speaks volumes.
It tells us exactly how seriously they take their responsibilities. It tells us how much—or how little—they respect the very system that allows them to operate in the first place. And it raises a fair, necessary question: Should someone who refuses basic accountability still hold a commercial permit?
Showing up is the absolute minimum. If that’s too much to ask, the rest is already answered.
To the UTV Operators: Step Up or Step Aside
This is your moment to show real corporate responsibility.
Public order is not your enemy—it’s your foundation. It protects your business, your customers, your routes, and your license to operate.
It is hypocritical to depend on structure and safety when it suits you, and then ignore the rules when they don’t.
Public order is not a buffet. You don’t get to pick the parts you like and skip the rest.
Some, like Jimmy Douglass Jr., have taken to social media to defend the chaos. His posts make it clear: as long as the money flows, public order can take a back seat. He even messaged me directly, urging me to “leave his business alone” and look the other way. When I didn’t, he pivoted to name-calling.
That’s fine.
But let me be clear: I wasn’t born yesterday.
And over the course of my career, I’ve dealt with tougher personalities and louder bullies than Mr. Douglass.
What I haven’t done – and never will – is stay silent when people get hurt and the rule of law is being casually discarded for profit.
If the Fines Don’t Work—Raise Them
Warnings don’t change behavior. Penalties do.
If the current fines are too low to make an impact, then I call on the newly appointed members of the Parliament to act.
Reclassify these violations. Table an amendment. Introduce higher fines in the three- and four-digit range.If they don’t respect authority, they will respect accountability.
And while you’re at it—take a close look at who’s left dealing with the aftermath of these accidents. Because while private operators collect the profits, it’s our public health system and emergency services that are being stretched thin. That’s not just a safety issue.
That’s a matter of fairness.
In Closing
We now have clarity from law enforcement, evidence from medical professionals, and the stories of those whose lives will never be the same.
The question is no longer “Is this legal?”
The question is: What will we do to stop the next tragedy?
3 Things That Should Happen Next
- Authorities must enforce the law—clearly, publicly, and consistently.
- UTV operators must show up, speak up, and clean up their act.
- Parliament must raise the penalties—and stop making taxpayers foot the bill.
See you next week – And as always, all my columns and podcasts are available on www.lincolngomez.com
