STAND. COM. REP. NO.  284

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1008

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1008 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BLIND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase pedestrian safety for blind individuals by:

     (1)  Requiring the driver's license examination to test an applicant's knowledge of exercising due care when driving a motor vehicle toward pedestrians who are blind or visually handicapped; and

     (2)  Specifying in the Traffic Code that every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care toward pedestrians who are blind or visually handicapped.

The Hawaii Association of the Blind testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Transportation provided comments.

     Blind and visually impaired individuals face unique situations and challenges as pedestrians, particularly when crossing the street.  Unlike individuals with sight, a blind or visually impaired individual must use other senses, such as hearing, to traverse a roadway.  As such, drivers need to exercise due caution toward blind and visually impaired individuals when operating a motor vehicle on a roadway.  This measure addresses this issue.

     Although your Committee notes that, according to the Department of Transportation, questions regarding a driver's responsibility toward blind and visually impaired pedestrians are already included on the driver's license examination, your Committee was informed that the selection of examination questions is a random process and that not all examinations contain a question about this responsibility.

     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. 1008 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair