Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1240 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit persons eighteen years of age or younger from riding in the bed or load carrying area of a pickup truck.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Honolulu Police Department, Maui Police Department, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. Testimony in opposition was received from the Public Defender.

Current law prohibits persons age twelve and under from riding in pickup beds. This measure raises that age to eighteen.

Your Committee believes that all passengers riding in the bed of a pickup truck are at increased risk of death and serious injury. In Hawaii, statistics indicate that in the five year period of 1999 through 2003, minors represented a significant proportion of injuries and fatalities resulting from riding in the bed of a pickup.

Truck beds were designed to carry cargo, not passengers, and there is no safety standard for securing passengers in the bed of pickups. Therefore, the most effective means of preventing injury and death is to prohibit riding in the bed altogether.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1240 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.