HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new set of eyes will soon be watching the roads – and it could be yours.
The state Department of Transportation is launching a pilot program called “Eyes on the Road.” The goal is to fix road hazards faster and crack down on unsafe drivers.
With limited resources to check on road conditions and officers to catch unsafe drivers, the state Department of Transportation is turning to drivers to help.
The “Eyes on the Road” program puts the power of technology and the public behind safer streets, using a thousand dash cams in state and city vehicles as well as public volunteers.
“We have inspectors running through the system regularly, but we don’t see everything that everybody else does. If we have dash cams on the system and have an AI system to run through that data, we can get to our damaged facilities very quickly,” said Ed Sniffen, Director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Here’s how it works. Once you’re approved for the program, you’ll pick up your free dashcam and install it in your car. The camera automatically uploads footage to the cloud, where it’s analyzed using artificial intelligence.
The system will flag everything that might be considered a road hazard and notify DOT crews. But the cameras will also give drivers a way to report reckless behavior. The video clips would be sent directly to the authorities to handle, not the public.
“The data that comes out of the dash cams is going to be pulled in by the DOT and by police and prosecutors, so we can review and see how we take action on it,” said Sniffen.
More than 90 people have died so far this year on Hawaii’s roads. Preliminary data shows risky or negligent behavior contributed to almost 90% of the fatalities. The DOT is partnering with the UH School of Engineering to help with the project.
“The executive branch is utilizing the University of Hawaii and our partnerships and our relationships, not just to do research for the sake of research, but to do research that for things that can actually be applied and benefit the state,” said Brennon Morioka, UH School of Engineering Dean.
Privacy is protected – the cameras won’t record audio, and participants can leave the program at any time. The program starts next month and is being funded through the State Highway Fund and federal grants.
If you’re interested in applying for the program, you can sign up here.