Highways

As motor vehicle fatalities statewide reach 101, HDOT asks all roadway users to take steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is saddened to report 11 traffic fatalities since the release of November’s preliminary year-to-date traffic fatality data on Nov. 15, 2017.

“Tragically we are now at 101 traffic fatalities statewide,” said HDOT Deputy Director for Highways Ed Sniffen. “That’s 101 mothers, fathers, sisters, or brothers that are lost to their families and friends this holiday season—and beyond. At HDOT we are prioritizing safety in every project we do and we’re asking everyone to make safety on the streets and sidewalks a priority too. Working together, we can reduce Hawaii’s annual traffic fatalities from 101, to 80 or fewer by 2018, toward the ultimate goal of zero deaths.”

All road users—motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists—can help reduce preventable deaths on Hawaii roadways by avoiding the top contributing factors in traffic fatalities. These factors are speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and distracted driving.

In 2016, 46 of 109* fatal crashes involved speeding, contributing to roughly 45 percent of the year’s 120 fatalities. Drivers in 64 of the 109 fatal crashes tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs, accounting for 73 deaths. Finally, approximately 13.7 percent of the fatalities on Hawaii’s roads in 2016 were determined to have had distracted driving as a contributing factor.

Drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists are encouraged to visit the HDOT Safe Communities page at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/safe-communites/ and the Hawaii Strategic Highway Safety Plan website at https://www.hawaiishsp.com/ to learn more about simple measures they can take to ensure their own safety and the safety of their families and friends.

Traffic Fatality Data from January 1, 2017 through December 11, 2017

	Motor Vehicle Occupants	Pedestrians	Motorcycle, Moped, Scooter Operators	Bicyclists	ATV Operators	TOTAL
C&C of Honolulu	19	9	7- m/c 4 – moped 1- scooter Total – 12	3	1	44
Hawaii County	24	2	5 – m/c 1 – moped* 0 – scooter Total – 6*	3	0	35
Maui County	10	1	4 – m/c 0 – moped 1 – scooter Total – 5	0	0	16
Kauai County	6	0	0 – m/c 0 – moped 0 – scooter Total – 0	0	0	6
TOTAL	59	12	23 *	6	1	101

*indicates 1 motorized bicycle

Traffic Fatality Data from January 1, 2016 through December 11, 2016

	Motor Vehicle Occupants	Pedestrians	Motorcycle, Moped, Scooter Operators	Bicyclists	ATV Operators	TOTAL
C&C of Honolulu	22	20	7- m/c 5 – moped 0- scooter Total – 12	0	0	54
Hawaii County	22	5	2 – m/c 1 – moped 0 – scooter Total – 3	0	0	30
Maui County	13	5	3 – m/c 0 – moped 0 – scooter Total – 3	0	0	21
Kauai County	5	1	0 – m/c 0 – moped 1 – scooter Total – 1	0	0	7
TOTAL	62	31	19	0	0	112

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Motor Vehicle Fatality Counts

To be considered a motor vehicle fatality in the state of Hawaii, the fatal crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a traffic way customarily open to the public and must result in a death of at least one person (occupant of a vehicle or a non-motorist) within 30 days of the crash.

Note on 2016 Crash Statistics

There were a total of 109 crashes resulting in 120 fatalities. Some crashes may have had more than one contributing factor.