This is it: Crosswalk law is here
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Q. What changed today with the pedestrian crossing law?
A. State Transportation Department spokesman Scott Ishikawa explained the new law this way: Drivers must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on your half of the road or if you put the pedestrian in immediate danger. Under the old law, the driver had the right to stop or yield to a pedestrian. That led to problems, Ishikawa said, because people have different definitions of yield.
The new pedestrian crossing law was enacted in May but police didn't begin issuing citations until today.
Q. Will there be warnings from police?
A. Honolulu police just completed a three-week campaign of warning people, and starting today, violators will be cited. Spokeswoman Michelle Yu said the waiting period was designed to help explain the law. "There seemed to be a lot of confusion in the public," she said. The measure was enacted in May. Police Lt. Jeff Bruchal said the Honolulu traffic division handed out 158 warnings since Aug. 11; other divisions and patrol officers also issued warnings.
Q. If there's an odd number of lanes but the middle lane is a turning lane, can you drive through the lane that the pedestrian has just crossed once the pedestrian has reached the turning lane and is headed away from your car?
A. No, Bruchal said, the pedestrian has to reach the halfway point.
Q. If I was driving on Pi'ikoi Street with five lanes heading one way and I was in the middle lane when a pedestrian stepped off the curb, when would I have to stop?
A. The driver in the middle lane would have to stop completely until the pedestrian is off the road, Bruchal said. The drivers in the other four lanes would only have to stop when the pedestrian was on their half of the road.
Q. What's the penalty?
A. The crosswalk violation prompts a $97 fine, Bruchal said, while jaywalking and other pedestrian violations carry a $70 fine.
Q. How many pedestrians have been killed on Honolulu roads this year?
A. Since January, Bruchal said 19 pedestrians have been struck and killed on O'ahu roads, five of them in crosswalks.
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Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: The new pedestrian crossing law was enacted in May but no citations were to be issued until today. Information in a previous version of this column was not clear.
