STAND. COM. REP. NO. 82

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 151

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 151 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the statewide traffic code, to replace the word "accident" with "collision" when referencing traffic incidents.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu, and Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that the use of the term "accident" when referring to a traffic collision or incident is outdated. The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) replaced the term "accident" with "collision" in their policies, procedures, and report writing more than a decade ago. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has encouraged everyone to use the term "collision" instead of "accident" when referring to incidents of vehicular collision. This measure amends the statewide traffic code to replace "accident" with "collision" to bring Hawaii in line with the NHTSA and HPD and provide consistency and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 151 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair