May I suggest that we have the walk sign at traffic lights longer especially for the elders to have more time to walk across. Also, we should build fences in the middle of the road to avoid anybody from jaywalking, especially in high-traffic areas such as King Street in Kalihi.

— Florence Alejandro Guillermo

1. The law should require the use of a hands-free device for cell phones. Cell-phone usage while driving is getting out of hand.

2. More stringent laws are needed for moving violations.

3. People are disobeying the pedestrian and crosswalk laws. This needs to stop.

4. There needs to be better crosswalk placement in some areas.

5. Pedestrians: Please be sure to stay in the crosswalk.

— Kahele Naeole, Makiki

Motorists need to slow down (go the speed limit!) and pay attention, as in get off the phone, look before turning, actually stop at stop signs, use caution at all intersections, slow at crosswalks — the things motorists are supposed to do! Bring on the intersection cameras, van cams, etc.; anything that will force people to take operating a deadly weapon seriously.

— Rita Place, Waimea (Big Island)

All intersections should allow pedestrians to cross at all sides. For example, at the Kalakaua/Kapi'olani intersection, if I want to cross Kalakaua from the convention center to Hard Rock, I need to first cross Kapi'olani to the bus triangle, then cross Kalakaua, then cross Kapi'olani again to get to Hard Rock. Instead of one street crossing, I have to make three (dangerous) street crossings to get where I want to go! We have to take three times longer to cross a street just to accommodate cars. It's ridiculous.

— Audrey Tantamjarik

All you need to do is stand on a congested corner Downtown and count the number of drivers who are busy talking on their phones while driving. Some of them seem to be very oblivious to things that are going on around them. While talking on the phone, it's more difficult to keep your mind on the task at hand, driving carefully. States that have outlawed cell phone use while driving have already come to the conclusion that pedestrian safety is more important.

— Ted Kanemori

The practice of issuing warnings to negligent drivers must stop! Issue tickets with stiff fines! Towns in our area got the message to both drivers and pedestrians quickly — wrote tickets, set up "stings" by having pedestrians using the crosswalks legally and tagging the drivers who violated. Result: rapid drop in violations. While a native of Hawai'i and now a resident on the Mainland, I understand the prevalent attitude of "give um chance" but what about the victim? Did he get his/her chance? Or is it the attitude in Hawai'i of "open season on pedestrians"?

— James Ahia, College Place, Wash.

Being a paramedic for 18 years in Honolulu, I've seen firsthand what happens to a pedestrian when struck by an auto. First of all, the safety campaign is the problem. It emboldens the pedestrian, and now they think the car will stop for them. The only thing that changed in the last few months was the ad campaign that cost taxpayers a lot of money. That must be the reason for the increase because prior to this being done, yes, we had pedestrian accidents but not nearly as many.

— Ben D.K. Kojima

What I would like to know is: How many of these accidents are caused by drivers using cell phones or listening to iPods? We can't really solve a problem until we know more of the causes.

— Eileen Cain, Honolulu

The answer is simple. Have pedestrians walk in crosswalks. We drivers look for the broken lines that represent crosswalks and look for any pedestrian who is nearing that crosswalk. However, if a person decides to cross outside designated crosswalks, then he takes a chance that a driver may not see him or know of his/her intentions.

— Stewart Burley, Lawa'i, Kaua'i

OTHER COMMENTS

On any day of the week, all day, there are multitudes of people jay-walking in the middle of the block on Maunakea between Beretania and Kukui streets to enter and exit the Chinese Cultural Center. It is extremely dangerous. My idea is for HPD to quietly monitor the area and issue tickets to jaywalkers.

Honolulu should make a survey of all of the major crosswalks on O'ahu, which are not "protected" by traffic lights, and determine if there are crosswalk warning signs. If there are not any warning signs, recommend that the City and County of Honolulu install them near the crosswalks, to warn the approaching motorists of the crosswalks. The crosswalk signs should also have reflectors on them so that they can be seen by the approaching motorists while driving nighttime.

Increase the distance or zone before and after crosswalks where cars can park. This may increase visibility for both pedestrian as well as the passing drivers.

1. Paint crosswalk lines with more visible paint especially for night driving/walking.

2. Install reflectors on crosswalks for more visibility for drivers.

3. Legislation to ban talking on cell phones unless using earphones.

4. Drive with lights on so pedestrians can more easily see cars. Some light-colored cars are not as visible.

The regulation that pedestrians have the right of way may not be a good idea for the people of Hawai'i. Also, someone should contact the police departments in Los Angeles and see how they enforce their pedestrian right of way law.

The only way is to put (in a) fence just like Vineyard Boulevard. Pedestrians don't care, sometimes they just walk in without looking and sometimes they see you coming and they just walk in "like they dare you run over them." I see it all the time.

Could it be that the drivers are being distracted by their cell phones? Perhaps a law banning cell phones, except those using hands-free devices, would help.