HDOT Kicks Off Walk Wise Hawai’i Campaign

The state Department of Transportation is gearing up for August’s Pedestrian Safety Month by kicking off its annual pedestrian safety campaign Walk Wise Hawaii.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation is partnering with McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii to promote pedestrian safety to more than 9,000 children at 74 Kamaaina Kids locations statewide.

This is the fifth year of Walk Wise Hawaii.

During the past six months, representatives of the program, along with McDonald’s owners and operators and Kamaaina Kids site coordinators have been reaching out to local children on how to be good pedestrians through its Kupuna Pledge Card program and pedestrian safety poster contest.

“These children will understand that it is no longer safe just to look left and right before crossing the street but to always be aware of their surroundings while in the crosswalk,” said HDOT Director Ford Fuchigami in a press release.

The collaborative effort consisted of onsite visits where children were taught the “Seven Tips to Safety” which provided pedestrian safety tips such as always cross the street at a crosswalk, always make eye contact with drivers before crossing, and always wear bright and reflective clothing while walking at night.

Participants were also asked to share their tips with their kupunas, and as a reward received a free Happy Meal from McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii.

Each child was also asked to draw a poster of one of two basic pedestrian safety rules, including always making eye contact with drivers while in a crosswalk and always wear bright and reflective clothing while walking at night.

More than 5,000 poster entries were received and reviewed by representatives of Walk Wise Hawaii, the State Department of Transportation, the Honolulu Police Department, City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services and McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii owners and managers.

Twenty posters were selected that best depicted good pedestrian practices and those posters will be put on display at the State Capitol as part of Pedestrian Safety Month in August.

The winners in the category “Always wear bright or reflective clothing when walking at night” include:
1. Second grader Edison Cheng at Salt Lake Elementary School on Oahu.
2. Fifth grader Zariel Daniels at Kahului Elementary School on Maui.
3. Sixth grader Jayna Gaspar at Ben Parker Elementary School on Oahu.
4. Fourth grader Jourdain Jarret-Berinobis at Kaneohe Elementary School on Oahu.
5. Third grader Evelyn Lakkala at Mokulele Elementary School on Oahu.
6. Fifth grader Tevita Hala Latu at Waiakea Elementary School in Hilo.
7. First grader Thomas Merritt at Wilcox Elementary School on Kauai.
8. Sixth grader Caylyn Moni at Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary in Hilo.
9. Fourth grader Tia Tanimoto at Kaumana Elementary School in Hilo.
10. Sixth grader Krysten Baugh at Nanakuli Elementary School on Oahu.

Winners in the 
category “Always make eye contact with drivers while in the crosswalk” include:
1. Fourth grader Tayhani Aninion at Waiakea Elementary School in Hilo.
2. Third grader Mattea Ciboch at Kokohead Elementary School on Oahu.
3. Fifth grader Annabelle Gregor at Salt Lake Elementary School on Oahu.
4. Fourth grader Connor James at Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary on Oahu.
5. Fourth grader Keira Kawachi at Wailuku Elementary School on Maui.
6. Fifth grader Lilah Li at Kula Elementary School on Maui.
7. Fifth grader Ruimin Lin at Salt Lake Elementary School on Oahu.
8. Fourth grader Kahiau Mainaaupo-Reilly at Konawaena Elementary School in Kona.
9. Fifth grader Kaitlyn Respicio at Waiakea Elementary School in Hilo.
10. First grader Taylor West at King Kamehameha III on Maui.

Each winner will receive a Walk Wise Hawaii yellow tote bag, red reflective blinking light and a special gift bag from McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii. Award certificates from the state will be given to each child at separate awards presentations on each island.

As part of the official launch of Pedestrian Safety Month in August, two posters will be selected and featured to represent Walk Wise Hawaii on McDonald’s tray liners throughout the state during the month of August.

The top 20 finalists’ posters will be put on display at the following locations in August:
Hawaii State Capitol – Aug.1-31
Kahala Mall – Aug.1-15
Windward Mall – Aug. 16-31

The posters can be viewed online on the Walk Wise Hawaii Facebook page.