Speeding, reckless driving laws need stronger enforcement

THE ISSUE Traffic deaths on Oahu increased in 2005, while on Maui, fatalities have dropped.

HAWAII boasts the highest rate of seat belt use in the nation, a practice that saves lives, but traffic fatalities and injuries cannot be prevented as long as speeding, inattention and other irresponsible driving behaviors persist.

While safety on highways largely depends on the individual motorist, law enforcement's role is pivotal if the decrease in traffic deaths on Maui is any indication.

The Valley Island's aggressive program to catch speeders has contributed to the drop in fatalities from 21 in 2004 to 15 so far this year.

Meanwhile, Oahu has seen 75 deaths as 2005 draws to a close, passing last year's total of 71. Honolulu police might do well to emulate Maui's stronger enforcement mode.

Though the difference of four might seem negligible in pure numbers, it means four more families are suffering the loss of a loved one, as is the family of William Kobashigawa, the most recent Oahu victim.

The 89-year-old man was on his daily early-morning walk near his Kaneohe home when a speeding pickup truck struck him on Kamehameha Highway. The World War II veteran was the 34th pedestrian killed, the 12th in a crosswalk, the 136th who died on a Hawaii highway this year.

Accidents happen, but more often than not, speeding or careless drivers are involved. In Honolulu, heavy traffic frequently prompts impatient motorists to accelerate past slower vehicles and menace pedestrians even though a new law requires them to be more observant of people crossing streets. Red-light runners have come to be so common that pedestrians and other drivers pause before entering an intersection when the signal changes.

Honolulu police authorities are not unaware of the problem, but contend other demands prevent officers from nabbing scofflaws.

On Maui, police have concentrated on curbing speeders -- nearly 1,000 drivers were given tickets for the offense in November -- and attribute the decline in fatalities in part to the program. Drivers there are learning to slow down as awareness of the effort grows.

Much of the progress in Hawaii's seat-belt usage is credited to high-profile campaigns such as "Click It or Ticket," but also to police enforcement. When drivers know they will be stopped and fined for ignoring the law, they buckle up.

Oahu would benefit from a similar push with emphasis on speeding, red-light running and other irresponsible conduct, but it will require the support of police and other officials to work. Governor Lingle says she will seek new legislation to increase pedestrian safety, but all the laws in the world will make no difference if enforcement remains lax.