Should jaywalking be allowed in Hawaiʻi? State lawmakers are considering a three-year pilot program on some islands to do just that.
Senate Bill 106 would establish the program in counties with populations of 250,000 people or less — all the islands except Oʻahu — that “prohibits a pedestrian from being stopped, fined, or subjected to a penalty for crossing outside of a marked crosswalk.”
While the so-called “Freedom to Walk” measure would apply to the neighbor islands, Oʻahu could opt in after consultation with the state Department of Transportation.
Supporters of the idea say that Hawaiʻi issues thousands of jaywalking tickets per year, but pedestrian fatalities are still on the rise — highlighting the need for better safety measures.
“ We found on average there were more than 5,000 jaywalking tickets given per year, which is significantly higher than other areas in the U.S. that have also studied this,” said Abbey Seitz, director of transportation equity at Hawaiʻi Appleseed.
“Ultimately, we believe that the millions of dollars that are spent on jaywalking enforcement essentially distracts attention and resources from data-driven approaches to improve roadway safety, mainly changes in roadway design and pedestrian infrastructure.”
The measure passed through the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs this week.
The Honolulu Police Department testified and said it was worried about being able to enforce the law, while the state Department of Transportation said it’s a safety issue that could cause confusion between drivers and pedestrians.
