STAND. COM. REP. NO.  240

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 375

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 375 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS' RIGHT OF WAY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance pedestrian safety by clarifying a driver's duty to stop or yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk when traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation.

 

     The Department of Transportation testified in support of this bill.

 

     The number of pedestrians crossing the street that are injured or killed continues to increase every year.  In fact, over the last four years, there were 122 pedestrian fatalities many occurring in areas where crosswalk signals are non-existent or not operational.  While both inattentive drivers and pedestrians share some of the blame, drivers have the greater potential to cause injury with their vehicles.  Your Committee finds that clarifying a driver's duty to stop and yield the right of way for a pedestrian in areas with non-existent or non-operational traffic signals will make Hawaii's streets safer for everyone.

 


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 375 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair