HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City is pleading with the public to be safer on Honolulu roads — they say 55 people have died so far on Oahu, surpassing 2024’s total of 54.
Honolulu’s roads are busier and more dangerous as the 2025 school year gets underway. City leaders pushed for safer streets in a press conference on Thursday, Aug. 28.
“Driving a car is a big responsibility. Don’t do it intoxicated. Don’t do it while you’re high. Pay attention when you’re driving and don’t kill anybody and ruin your own life. Please,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “Help us help you.”
Honolulu interim police chief Rade Vanic said HPD is ramping up efforts to educate drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians on traffic safety to prevent deadly collisions.
“For example, crossing over a solid line. Not allowed to do that. That can cause a major traffic collision. Also, for pedestrians, you may have the right of way, but when you’re challenging a car, you’re not going to win,” Vanic said.
There are daily tests of caution due to reckless drivers for residents who need to cross the street to catch TheBus.
“Just trying to dodge cars. I’m dodging them every day. Right over here, right across the transit, just crossing the street. I’m crossing, the car just, right in front of me,” said Makakilo resident Hinano Wailehua as she gestured to the crosswalk, “Like, right in front of me! That driver got an earful.”
The Department of Transportation Services is also taking steps. Their deputy director highlighted the success of speed humps in slowing down drivers on high-risk roads.
“And we’ve seen the effects that speed humps have had on some of our roadways and some of our roadways that experienced the highest amounts of speeding. There has been a factual, statistical reduction in speed on that roadway,” Jon Nouchi said.
The mayor said speed humps and legislation on Oahu roadways can only go so far, with deaths in 2025 already surpassing all of 2024.
“So everybody’s got to help in this. That’s the message everybody needs to be aware of what the numbers are. They need to understand just how dangerous this is. This is not something we’re being casual about. This is as serious as it gets,” Mayor Blangiardi said.
City officials urge everyone to stay alert and follow traffic rules to prevent more tragedies.