The shaka is disappearing on Hawaii’s roads as a way to say thanks to a courteous driver, according to the first survey of its kind on driving habits in the islands.

The survey of 789 respondents conducted in February by Honolulu-based QMark Research found that 76 percent of respondents prefer a simple wave of the hand over the pinky-and-thumb wave (18 percent) to show their gratitude to a fellow driver.

"The shaka used to be a lot more common," Gisele Hetu, 48, of Waikiki, told the Star-Advertiser. "No one gives me the shaka back to say, ‘Thanks,’ so I stopped doing it. People don’t seem to appreciate it, so why do it?"

Overall, the survey found that 55 percent of respondents think Hawaii drivers are less courteous than they were five years ago.

The perception appears worse on Oahu, where 58 percent of respondents said drivers are less courteous than five years ago, compared with 49 percent on the neighbor islands.

But 89 percent of respondents either strongly agreed (39 percent) or somewhat agreed (50 percent) with the statement, "If I show someone courtesy on the road, they are more likely to be courteous to someone else."

Barbara Ankersmit, president of QMark Research, said she was surprised that only 18 percent of Hawaii drivers continue to flash the shaka on island roads, "where aloha and courtesy are important to acknowledge."

Another 3 percent of drivers prefer a head nod, compared with 2 percent who offer only a smile.

But Ankersmit was pleased that so many drivers think that "if someone shows them courtesy on the road, they’re more inclined to be more courteous."

So First Insurance Co. of Hawaii, which commissioned the study, hopes to make courtesy on Hawaii’s roads infectious.

"We want to get the community talking about the importance of courtesy," said Kaela Wasnich, corporate communications specialist for First Insurance.

The company has launched a campaign called "Take the HI Road" on its website, ficoh.com/takethehiroad, and employees will sign-wave in front of their offices at Ward Avenue and Beretania Street this morning, the start of the National Safety Council’s Driving Safety Week.

First Insurance employees will carry signs that say "Drive with Courtesy," "Bring Back the Wave" and "No Need to Speed" to emphasize the importance of courteous driving — hoping that drivers spread the message through social media.

"We want people to think about how they drive personally and what they can do to bring courtesy back," Wasnich said.

First Insurance’s website also will let drivers thank other drivers as a way of encouraging more positive behavior, Wasnich said.

"If someone let them merge that morning or was nice enough to use their blinker well in advance, this will give them an opportunity to share that," she said.

Drivers such as Winston Wong, 62, of Kapahulu say they hope the campaign leads to better driving conditions. "It’s not just a matter of being courteous, it’s a matter of safety," Wong said. "It really starts at home, though. People who are learning how to drive, whoever’s teaching them, that’s where it begins."

The QMark Research study also found that:

» Hawaii drivers think they’re much more courteous than others on the road. Some 28 percent of respondents say they personally deserve an A grade — while only giving 5 percent of their fellow drivers a top grade. The plurality of Hawaii drivers — 42 percent — deserve a C, according to the survey. But only 11 percent said they deserve a C.

» Drivers at least 65 years old have a more positive perception of other drivers (55 percent gave other drivers grades of A or B), compared with drivers under age 35. Only 34 percent of younger drivers gave scores of A or B to other drivers.

» Almost everyone — 97 percent — has seen another driver using a cellphone, while only 27 percent of respondents said they personally have used a cellphone while driving.

» Cellphone use while driving goes up based on income: Among drivers who live in households with combined incomes above $100,000 per year, 35 percent have talked on a cellphone next to their ears while driving in the last three months. But only 27 percent of people who live in homes that earn less than $50,000 a year said they had done the same.

» Among drivers younger than 35, 65 percent have seen other drivers texting. While 19 percent of all drivers admitted to texting while driving in the previous three months, the percentage jumped to 38 percent for drivers under 35.

» The biggest complaint — 92 percent of responses — was about drivers signaling late or not at all, followed by 67 percent who said they were not allowed to merge and 56 percent who said they were cut off on the road.

» Incidents of rude driving behavior are experienced differently by men and women: Some 62 percent of male drivers said they had been cut off, compared with 50 percent of female drivers. Twenty-eight percent of males received an obscene gesture, compared with 17 percent of females. And 16 percent of males said they have been tailgated, compared with 2 percent of females.

» A large majority said courteous driving is acknowledged, either "every time" (46 percent) or "most of the time" (45 percent). No one said courteous driving is "never" acknowledged. And 85 percent said it is important that drivers acknowledge courteous driving with some sort of signal. For those who have lived outside of Hawaii, 37 percent said it is "very important" to acknowledge driving courtesy. But the percentage jumps to 49 percent for lifetime Hawaii residents.

Acknowledging courtesy on the roads is even more important to Hawaiians — 59 percent of whom said it was "very important" — followed by Filipinos (49 percent) and Caucasians (33 percent).

And when they do acknowledge another driver’s act of courtesy, Hawaiians and Caucasians (each 26 percent) prefer flashing the old-fashioned shaka.

And more men (26 percent) like the shaka over women (11 percent).

"Guys do that," said Jean Moriyama, 63, of Palolo Valley.

But when another driver displays an act of courtesy, Moriyama makes sure to stick her hand out of her 2004 Toyota Camry.

"I usually wave when someone lets me in," she said. "And I like to put my hand out the window to make sure they see it."