STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2398

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2166

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2166 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote traffic safety on Hana highway to increase the safety of motorists upon two-lane roads by requiring drivers of lead vehicles driving on two-lane roads to use turnouts and allow vehicles to pass when there is a line of vehicles behind who are unable to pass because of the two-lane road and dangerous circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation and Maui County Council.

Your Committee finds that unsafe driving conditions may occur on two-lane roadways when the lead vehicle is moving slowly, causing a back-up of vehicles behind the lead vehicle, and traffic moving in the opposite direction makes passing vehicles unsafe. Your Committee further finds that this situation is frequently encountered on Hana highway, between mile markers 00 and 34, where visibility around turns is limited by natural contours of the road. This measure requires the lead vehicle to use a turnout or to pull aside to allow the vehicles behind it pass.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Transportation testified that it would like this law to be implemented on two-lane roads statewide, not just on Hana highway. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Transportation may not erect signs directing vehicles to use areas it does not own the right-of-way, such as along Hana highway. Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the specific reference to Hana highway;

(2) Deleting the provision referring to turnout signs erected by the Department of Transportation; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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 S.B. No. 2166, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2166, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair