Question: Is it possible for someone to take the road test if they have a pending ticket? I looked online but found conflicting information. It’s a long story, but the point is that it took so long to get a road test appointment and there aren’t any more open soon, so I don’t want to give it up despite a stupid mistake in the meantime.
Answer: Yes, an applicant for a Hawaii driver’s license generally can take the road test on Oahu with a traffic violation on file. However, their driver’s license won’t be issued (even if they pass the road test) until the ticket is cleared, and in a timely fashion, according to Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services.
“The Driver Licensing Center will allow the person 30 days to submit clearance documents. If the person does not submit clearance documents” within that time frame, “his or her road test results would be voided,” and they would have to take the road test again, said CSD spokesperson Harold Nedd.
The result of the road test won’t be released while a ticket is pending, he said.
Driver’s license applicants’ records are checked against the state Traffic Violations Bureau’s electronic database. For information about clearing your driving record, call the TVB at 808-538-5500 or visit 1111 Alakea St., second floor, CSD says.
You may obtain a clearance letter from TVB or have the record cleared electronically, CSD says.
If you plan on paying an Oahu parking or traffic ticket without contesting it, you can do so online through links at courts.state.hi.us.
As for the broader complaint about difficulty getting an appointment for a road test on Oahu, which we’re hearing from numerous readers, Honolulu County is aware of the problem and is taking steps to make more appointments available. Details are expected to be released soon; we’ll publicize them when we get them.
Q: Regarding the driver’s license for older people, why not make it four years from 72 to 79 and keep it two years for 80 and older? I don’t think most kupuna would object to that. But two years at 72 is too short.
A: An amended bill would do just that, if it is approved by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor. Senate Bill 2679, SD 2, would extend the renewal period to four years from two for licensees who are “72 years of age or older but younger than 80 years of age.” The renewal period would remain eight years for drivers ages 25 to 71 and two years for drivers 80 and up. This version was approved in the state Senate and is now being heard in the House. A videoconference before the Transportation Committee is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today. For more information, see 808ne.ws/sb2679.
Mahalo
Mahalo to an anonymous donor. Assistance League of Hawaii is a nonprofit organization that serves the needs of our community. One of our members was recently shopping at the Pearl City Sam’s Club for various items needed by Waikiki Health’s Youth Outreach program, which runs a drop-in center for homeless teens. The anonymous donor noticed our member picking up diapers, wipes, boardshorts and underwear and kept running into her throughout the store. When told the shopping was for an organization in Waikiki that helps homeless teens, she then reached into her purse and donated $100! Mahalo for her kindness and support of our community. — Mary Monohon, president, Assistance League of Hawaii
Mahalo
Mahalo to the car full of young people that cut in front of us at the Pearl City Burger King drive-thru line on Feb. 21 around noon. I realized you did this to get out of the heavy flow of street traffic, and I was fine with this. However, you then proceeded to pay for our lunch. That was very kind and thoughtful. Lunch that day was even more delicious than usual. Mahalo. — J.T.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
