STAND. COM. REP. NO.62-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 2084
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2084 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRAFFIC CODE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to establish a "pedestrian bill of rights" that will:
(1) Require drivers to yield to pedestrians in intersections and crosswalks; and
(2) Prohibit jaywalking unless the crosswalk or intersection in a residential area is farther than 200 feet away.
The Department of Transportation, members of the McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board, the Chairman of Neighborhood Board #11, and several concerned citizens testified in support of this measure. The Honolulu Police supported this bill, but felt that several amendments were necessary to strengthen the penalty provisions and enforcement of this bill.
Hawaii's current traffic laws were modeled after the Model Traffic Code when it was enacted in 1971. Over the last 30 years, increases in traffic and the widening of roads and highways to accommodate more vehicles has made it harder for pedestrians to cross the street. In fact, over the last 14 years, nearly 9,500
pedestrians were struck by cars and 345 were killed. One third of the individuals who died were in a crosswalk when they were hit.
Your Committee feels that this is unacceptable and that the safety of pedestrians needs to be addressed. However, your Committee understands the concerns of the Honolulu Police Department and feels that their recommendations to strengthen the current measure are warranted.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Removing the provision for the driver of an automobile to stop at least one car length before a crosswalk, since this would be difficult to enforce;
(2) Amending the penalty provisions for violations of a
pedestrian's right-of-way;
(3) Amending the penalty for crossing a street outside a crosswalk or intersection, that is located within two hundred feet; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, conformity, and style.
Moreover, your Committee notes that there may be other inconsistencies that may need to be addressed. Nevertheless, your Committee feels that this bill is of the utmost importance for pedestrian safety and warrants further discussion.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2084, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2084, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,
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____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair |