HCR272.DOC

WHEREAS, according to the National Highway Safety Administration in 2008, speeding-related fatalities in Hawaii accounted for nearly half of all the traffic fatalities in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, in March, 2009, Honolulu police initiated a sweeping crackdown on dangerous drivers in a campaign to reduce the number of speeding-related accidents and fatalities; and

WHEREAS, during the first weekend of the crackdown, Honolulu police issued six hundred and twenty-five speeding citations, including seventeen for excessive speeding; and

WHEREAS, typically, the Honolulu police issue an average of three thousand speeding citations each month; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to reduce speeding in residential areas, a number of communities in other states have established programs to engage local residents in changing driver behavior on their neighborhood streets; and

WHEREAS, for instance, Neighborhood Speed Watch programs in communities in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Utah, Washington, and Ontario, Canada train residents on how to use radar equipment and collect speed data in their neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, participating residents record the speed and license plate information of speeding motor vehicles and send this information to the owner of the vehicle, informing the owner of the violation and encouraging the owner or driver of the vehicle to drive at or below the posted speed limit; and

WHEREAS, the Road Watch program in Richmond Hill in Ontario, Canada, gives residents an opportunity to report aggressive and unsafe driving in their neighborhoods to the police through the use of Citizen Report forms; and

WHEREAS, this information assists the police in identifying unsafe driving acts or "hot spots" that are traffic problem areas; and

WHEREAS, a similar initiative in Hawaii could help deter speeding in local neighborhoods by raising public awareness of the issue and educating drivers about the negative consequences of speeding; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the Senate concurring, that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are requested to convene a task force to recommend a process to create a Citizen Road Watch program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of:

(1) One member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(3) One representative of the Department of Transportation;

(4) One representative of the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services;

(5) The City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney or the Prosecuting Attorney's designee;

(6) The Public Defender or the Public Defender's designee;

(7) One representative of the City and County of Honolulu Police Department;

(8) One representative of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization;

(9) One representative of the Oahu Neighborhood Boards appointed by the President of the Senate; and

(10) One representative of the Oahu Neighborhood Boards appointed by the Speaker of the House; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Director of Transportation, the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, the State Public Defender, the Honolulu Police Chief, the Director of the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, and the Executive Director of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Task Force; Citizen Road Watch Program; Speeding

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	272
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII