HB1901

Report Title:

Highways; Pedestrian Safety; Pedestrian Flag Program

Description:

Establishes a two-year pilot pedestrian flag project within the Department of Transportation to provide flags at crosswalks for use by pedestrians when crossing the street.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1901
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that measures need to be taken to make crossing Hawaii's roads safer. In 2004, Hawaii's pedestrian death rate was the fourth highest in the nation. Thirty-one pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles, ten of whom were in crosswalks when struck. Despite a new state law enacted in 2005 requiring drivers to stop and yield to pedestrians who are in a crosswalk, this year's pedestrian death rate is likely to surpass the 2004 rate.

In June 2005, Hudson Falls became the first community in the State of New York to implement a pedestrian safety program using flags at crosswalks to make crossing pedestrians more noticeable to motorists at busy thoroughfares. Under this program, flag-holding containers with Day-Glo flags are installed on both sides of the street at crosswalks. Pedestrians wishing to cross the street can retrieve a flag and wave it to gain motorists' attention when crossing the street.

The pedestrian flag approach, now used in thirteen states, has greatly increased motorists' compliance in giving pedestrians the right of way at crosswalks.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a pilot pedestrian flag program.

SECTION 2. Pilot project established. There is established within the department of transportation a two-year pedestrian flag pilot project. The project shall be designed to include the provision of flags to pedestrians at designated crosswalks to make them more noticeable to motorists when crossing streets. Flags shall be made available at crosswalks that the department of transportation has identified as being particularly dangerous to crossing pedestrians.

SECTION 3. Report to the legislature. The department of transportation shall provide a report on the pedestrian flag project to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the pedestrian flag pilot project. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval and shall be repealed on June 30, 2008; provided that section 4 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________