Hawaii’s traffic fatalities have soared 18% so far this year
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM
A makeshift memorial sprang up on the pedestrian island at Kamakee Street and Ala Moana Boulevard on Jan. 29, one day after three pedestrians were killed and several other people were injured when a suspected drunk driver crashed his pickup truck.
A total of 52 traffic fatalities have been recorded in Hawaii in 2019 through Wednesday, according to the latest statistics from the state Department of Transportation.
That’s an 18% increase over the 44 recorded during the same period last year.
A total of 27 occurred on Oahu, followed by 10 on Hawaii island, nine on Maui and six on Kauai.
The majority of the deaths were pedestrian accidents, at 22, followed by 18 involving motor vehicle occupants, and 12 involving motorcycles, mopeds and scooters. There were no bicyclist or ATV operator fatalities recorded during the latest time period.
During the entire year of 2018 in Hawaii, there were 117 fatalities total, involving 44 pedestrian accidents. More than half of the pedestrian accidents took place on Oahu, with 27, followed by Hawaii and Maui counties, with seven each, and Kauai County, with three.
Traffic fatalities from Jan. 1 to June 12, 2019:
>> Honolulu County: 9 motor vehicle occupants, 12 pedestrians, 6 motorcycle/mopeds
>> Hawaii County: 2 motor vehicle occupants, 4 pedestrians, 4 motorcycle/mopeds
>> Maui County: 3 motor vehicle occupants, 5 pedestrians, 1 motorcycle/mopeds
>> Kauai County: 4 motor vehicle occupants, 1 pedestrian, 1 motorcycle/mopeds
