HONOLULU (KHON2) — During a year of tragic loss on Oʻahu’s roadways, the Honolulu Police Department is launching a new initiative on Aug. 26 to help reduce the number of traffic fatalities.
Deaths have more than doubled, with 55 traffic fatalities reported on the island in 2025, compared to 26 at the same time in 2024.
This alarming number has inspired HPD to launch their “Traffic Safety Tuesdays” campaign, with increased HPD presence on the road, as well as informative sign waving on Tuesdays.
“We really want to engage with the public, you’re going to see a lot of officers today out on the roadways as you drive to school, get to work and sign waving, just to remind everyone that this everyone’s kuleana, this is everyone’s responsibility,” said HPD Maj. Paul Okamoto. “Drive carefully, cross the roads carefully so we can reduce these fatalities.”
The goal of the campaign is not to punish or give citations, the goal is to educate the public on essential road safety information, Okamoto said.
Road safety responsibility does not fall solely on drivers either — pedestrians have a role to play.
While walking, especially during dark hours, Okamoto says to wear bright colors to ensure your visibility. In addition, stay off your phone while crossing the road, as not only is it unsafe, it is actually a violation.
Another key component to pedestrian safety is to make eye contact with drivers, as to not assume that drivers are aware of you, and to not wear devices such as headphones that would drown out traffic sounds.
Okamoto also emphasized the importance of ebike safety. He said to ensure safety on ebikes, which can travel upwards of 35 miles per hour. It is also a legal requirement for ebikers under 18 to wear a helmet while riding.
While it may seem obvious, Okamoto also said that it is crucial to not drive while under the influence, and avoid distracted driving such as texting while driving.
Traffic Safety Tuesday kicked off with sign waving at McKinley High School, where Sara Yara was killed while walking to school.
“Now that [Sara’s] not here, we don’t want to remember her as a tragic loss, but we want to remind people what we should not be doing is speeding on the road,” Sara’s mother Chevy Borce said.