Improving Traffic Safety is a shared responsibility.
In 2001, North Hawaii Outcomes Project (NHOP) identified that the annual death rates from motor vehicle-related crashes in North Hawaii and Hawaii County were nearly three times higher between 1990-2000 than the State rate. Further investigation through the Department of Health Injury Prevention Division, confirmed that Hawaii County motor vehicle-related death rates were disproportionately high and that there was no known multi-disciplinary existing effort to reduce the high rate.
NHOP then facilitated a meeting with key stakeholders to present the disturbing data and engage collaboration to improve. This prompted the formation of a committed team known as the Motor Vehicle Crash Reduction Group (MVCRG).
The data is clear that too many innocent victims die from traffic crashes on Hawaii County roads. Drunk driving is responsible for more than half of the traffic deaths in Hawaii County. Impaired driving deaths and injuries are 100% preventable. Reducing deaths from impaired driving is a shared responsibility of:
Traffic Safety
- HC.Number of DUI Arrests updated 02.19.12
- HC.Number of DUI Arrests Under 21 updated 02.19.12
- HC.Number of Kona.Hilo.Arrests updated 02.19.12
- HC.Number of Major Collisions updated 02.19.12
- HC.Proportion DUI Collisions updated 02.19.12
- DUI by Districts updated 02.19.12
- Traffic Safety Report 2011
State:
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving – works to to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking.
- Department of Transportation
- Under the Highways division the Governor’s Highway Safety Council – ” advises the Governor on matters relating to the programs and activities of the State in the field of highway safety.”
County:
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii County – works to to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking.
- South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee – Group meets with County and State agencies and addresses traffic issues in the district.
- Hawaii County – Police Department – Under the Traffic Services Department the Impaired Driving Task Force - works to save lives and prevent injuries from impaired driving. Group is made up of a coalition of government agencies, community organizations and victim support groups. For more information about the Impaired Driving Task Force, you may call Safety Traffic Coordinator, Dieter H. Blattler at 961-2226.
- Hawaii County – Office of the Prosecutor’s Attorney
- Underage Drinking Prevention – Youth Builders
- Underage Drinking Prevention Plan - 2009-2011
- Hawaii County – Department of Public Works