GOVERNOR LINGLE RENEWS CALL FOR STRICTER PENALTIES FOR CROSSWALK VIOLATIONS TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS

For Immediate Release:  January 16, 2007

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today said her Administration will re-introduce legislation to increase penalties for motorists who violate Hawai‘i’s crosswalk law.  The Lingle-Aiona Administration will again propose tougher measures that would place traffic violators in jail, revoke their driving privileges and increase fines for failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.  The Governor’s announcement follows four fatal pedestrian accidents, three of which involved senior citizens crossing the street, since the start of the year.

“Less than three weeks into the new year, our community is mourning the loss of three kupuna who were simply trying to cross the street,” said Governor Lingle.  “These accidents, along with many other pedestrian fatalities that have plagued our state for the past several years, could have been prevented if drivers yielded the right-of-way to pedestrians.”

Under the Governor’s proposed legislation, drivers who violate the state’s crosswalk law the first time would be fined up to $150 and have their driver’s license suspended for at least 90 days.  For a second offense, drivers would be fined a minimum of $300 and a 180-day license revocation.  Any driver who violates the crosswalk law for a third time would face a minimum fine of $1,000, license revocation for one year, and 30 days in jail.  The Administration proposed these stricter penalties last year but the Legislature did not pass the measures.

“Too many of our residents and visitors, especially our children and senior citizens, are being put at risk by drivers who fail to slow down and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians,” said Governor Lingle.  “The measures we are proposing will serve as a strong deterrent and remind drivers that they need to obey our crosswalk law and put an end to reckless driving.”

In May 2005, the Lingle-Aiona Administration worked with the Legislature, law enforcement agencies and the community to enact a law that gives the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the street over drivers.  Under the existing law, drivers must yield when pedestrians are on the same half of the roadway or are approaching and in danger of being hit.  Drivers who violate the current crosswalk law face fines of up to $200 for the first offense, up to $300 for the second offense and up to $500 for the third offense. 

In 2006, 32 pedestrians were killed on Hawai‘i’s roadways.  Five of the accidents involved people who were in marked crosswalks. 

“All of us – motorists and pedestrians – need to take responsibility for keeping our roads safe and preventing these senseless tragedies,” said Governor Lingle.  “We owe it to the memories of Fe Bulahan, Jae Kim, Floyd Girven and the many other innocent people who lost their lives while crossing the our streets.”

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For more information, contact:

Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: 586-0043