[ OUR OPINION ]
Tougher laws would
slow down isle driversTHE sharp jump in fatal auto accidents involving excessive speed shows that law enforcement's attempts to discourage such irresponsible behavior have largely failed. Although van cams and rumble strips raised loud public outcry, it appears more stringent legislation with tougher penalties may be necessary to slow down motorists, especially street racers.
THE ISSUE
Police report that a large majority of fatal accidents are the result of speeding drivers.
If foolhardy drivers want to risk their own lives by using city highways as race tracks, that's one thing. However, street racers and speeding motorists endanger others as well. Just as police have been given the legal tools to crack down on drunken drivers, so should officers have the authority to get speeders off the roads.
Police report that 44 of the 54 fatal accidents so far this year involved speeding, compared to 19 of 51 fatal mishaps in all of 2002. As of July 31, 20,302 citations were issued for speeding, where in all of last year, 28,547 were issued. Also on the increase are citations for racing: 227 as of July 31 as compared to 202 for 2002.
The report comes in the wake of recent incidents that police believe resulted from street racing. Five people were killed in March on the North Shore, one man died and three others were injured near Makua Cave in August, two men were seriously hurt last month in Maili, and a Salt Lake crash killed another on Saturday. All these appeared to involve racing, police say. On Sunday, two young men were killed when their car crossed Ala Moana Boulevard and struck another vehicle, injuring three occupants, and again police suspect racing.
Legislators approved an anti-racing law last year after a woman was killed in an alleged racing accident on the H-1 in Kaimuki, but police have found enforcement difficult, needing to prove that other vehicles were involved in a contest. In addition, the law allows forfeiture of a vehicle only after three speeding violations during a five-year period.
State Rep. Kirk Caldwell, vice chairman of the House Transportation Committee, says the law needs strengthening, but that forfeiture should apply to racers who own their vehicles. Because street racers are generally in their 20s, they are often at the wheel of the family car and confiscation might create a hardship. However, if owners know their cars might be taken away, they may be more careful about who drives them. Lawmakers also should consider monitoring or restricting sales of high-performance devices that boost speed and increasing inspection of cars modified for racing.
Speeding isn't limited to auto aficionados. Most motorists exceed speed limits at one time or another, as was evident when the despised van cameras were in operation for a brief time last year and when rumble strips rattled drivers going too fast on the Pali Highway. There's a fine line between reckless speeding and going with the flow of traffic. Unfortunately, too many drivers don't know where that line is and the consequences are grave for themselves and for others.
