Fatal motorcycle crashes have been increasing on Oahu with three on the island’s roadways just this week.
Ten of the 25 traffic fatalities this year on Oahu involved motorcycles, and nine of the 10 motorcycle crashes occurred in the past 30 days, the Honolulu Police Department said Thursday. There were 18 traffic fatalities at the same time in 2022.
Maj. Stason Tanaka of the Traffic Division said speed was a contributing factor in most of the deadly motorcycle crashes.
The Police Department reminded motorcyclists to adhere to the posted speed limit and ride within their limits.
“All the fatalities that occurred, had the rider been obeying the speed limits, riding within their limits and being mindful of the roadways at the time, weather conditions, etc., a lot of these fatalities could’ve been prevented,” Tanaka said at a news conference at HPD’s Alapai headquarters.
Speed was a factor in a motorcycle crash that killed a 23-year-old man in Wahiawa early Thursday, Honolulu police said.
Police and Honolulu Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the crash in the area of Wilikina Drive and Lakeview Circle at about 5:45 a.m.
Police said the motorcyclist was traveling northbound on Wilikina Drive when he broadsided a vehicle exiting a residential area.
Paramedics administered advanced lifesaving support and took the motorcyclist
in critical condition to a hospital where he later died.
The Honolulu Medical
Examiner’s Office has yet to release his name.
Police said the vehicle driver, also 23, suffered minor injuries in the crash and declined treatment. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. It’s unknown whether drugs or alcohol were factors.
On Sunday alone, two motorcyclists died in two separate crashes in West Oahu.
Richard-Ian Silva, 35, was traveling westbound on Kapolei Parkway on his motorcycle when, for unknown reasons, he lost control and was thrown onto the median at about 1:30 a.m.
Silva, of Kapolei, sustained blunt force injuries and was taken in critical condition to a hospital where he later died. Police said he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
Later that morning, 26-year-old Jun Jun Villanueva was traveling southbound on Kunia Road on his motorcycle at a “high rate of speed” and took the Kunia offramp when he lost control and was thrown onto the roadway at about 9 a.m., according to police.
Villanueva, of Waipahu, was taken in critical condition to a hospital where he later died. He was wearing
a helmet at the time of the crash. Police said speed was a factor.