Drivers need to look out for pedestrians

One of my longstanding pet peeves is the failure of many of our fellow drivers in Hawaii to stop for pedestrians who are waiting to cross at a marked crosswalk. I’ve even wondered if this was somehow not a requirement in our traffic laws, but when I checked, there it was, clear as day, in Section 291C-72 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes: Pedestrians have the right of way, drivers are required to stop, end of story.

Now, having said that, pedestrians need to do their part as well. You should cross at marked crosswalks, not wherever you feel like crossing. And you should show that you really do intend to cross. Don’t stand 10 feet back from the roadway looking around or talking to your friend. Let the driver know that you intend to cross once the traffic stops. A little eye contact never hurts.

With a little bit of common sense, we can avoid some really tragic accidents. Please do your part.

Lester Iwamasa

Wahiawa

Promote use of security cameras by homeowners

I see on social media that other people post about someone’s house getting burglarized, and the owner of the house does not know who did it because they did not have security cameras. There are many reasons why a homeowner does not have cameras. Maybe the owner can’t afford them.

I think the government should help pay for cameras. Then I think there would be less theft and burglary, and the owners would feel safer. They wouldn’t need to worry as much about their stuff being stolen because they can see if something’s going on.

Malu Cleveland

Maunalani Heights

Pay attention to teens and illicit drug use

I’ve noticed a trend with teenagers: Many of them are using drugs nowadays. It’s a big thing that many teens are influenced by others. Some see it as a trend to get cool, or others might be peer-pressured. Some teens even have the guts to bring drugs to school.

Schools should include a random bag-check policy. Random bag checks would reduce the amount of drugs teens are using and reduce the amount of drugs on school campuses. Some students may have connections with one another relating to drugs, but we just don’t know.

Teachers and school security officers should pay more attention to students on campus, whether it’s during or after school.

Joyce Wong

Kakaako

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