Hawai‘i Island police conclude concentrated enforcement campaign on Daniel K. Inouye Highway
Although this high-visibility enforcement campaign ended on June 21, officers will continue conducting proactive traffic enforcement operations along the cross-island roadway to address hazardous driving behaviors.
6 hours ago
In its second week and final week of concentrated enforcement on Daniel K. Inouye Highway, the Hawai‘i Police Department conducted 303 traffic stops during the week of June 15-21, resulting on one arrest.
These sustained enforcement efforts began on June 4 after three fatal crashes resulted in five fatalities from Jan. 1 through June 4 on the cross-island roadway. Hawai‘i Island police say these fatalities have been a result of unsafe driving behaviors such as speeding, being impaired, not buckling up and getting distracted.
Out of the 303 traffic stops last week, the breakdown of violations included:
- 187 speeding violations
- 8 reckless driving violations
- 3 unsafe passing violations
- 83 other traffic violations
The arrest was made for another offense not specified by police.
Although this high-visibility enforcement campaign ended on June 21, officers will continue conducting proactive traffic enforcement operations along the Daniel K. Inouye Highway to address hazardous driving behaviors.
“Tragedies on our roads are preventable and I ask every driver to commit to roadway safety: slow down, eliminate distractions, and always drive sober,” said Hawai‘i Police Chief Reed Mahuna. “Let’s look out for one another, drive defensively, and treat each other with aloha on every journey.”
Since the enforcement began on June 4, officers conducted 1,069 traffic stops along the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and identified numerous violations, including:
- 649 speeding violations
- 17 reckless driving violations
- 6 unsafe passing violations
- 509 other traffic violations
Enforcement efforts during this period also resulted in 2 arrests for operating vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant and five arrests for other offenses not specified.
The Hawai‘i Police Department reminds drivers that although speeding may seem to save time, the actual time saved is minimal, and when compared to the significant dangers created by driving above the posted speed limit, speeding is not worth the added risk.
“Higher speeds reduce a driver’s reaction time, require an increased amount of stopping distance, and contribute to the severity of a traffic collision,” police stated in a news release. “No amount of time saved is worth endangering lives and obeying posted speed limits remains an essential component of keeping our island’s roadways safe for everyone.”
