Hawaii’s motorists are worst in the U.S., survey says

Hawaii motorists exhibit the worst driving behavior in the nation, according to a recent report by Forbes Advisor.

Based on a survey of 5,000 Americans with a driver’s license — 100 respondents in each state — Hawaii ranked first for changing lanes or turning without signaling, going 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit and running red lights.

Hawaii drivers also ranked high for other bad behavior on the road, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and texting while driving.

Following behind the Aloha State in the bad-­behavior rankings were drivers in Oregon, New Mexico, Wyoming, Alaska, North Dakota, Connecticut, Vermont, Kansas and West Virginia. Motorists in Mississippi were the best behaved, according to the report by Forbes Advisor, which provides consumer advice on insurance, banking and other financial products and services.

Local drivers who spoke to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser indicated that distracted driving and impatient motorists were larger concerns than some of the other traffic-related behaviors cited in the report.

Kakaako resident Lienny Young, 37, said the number of people with poor driving habits in Hawaii is “outrageous.” She said that on a number of occasions she’s observed drivers who seem to “go crazy” due to impatience.

The Oahu native believes part of the problem may be some mainland transplants who might have different driving habits and a disregard for local rules of the road. But driver behavior also may be a result of increased development on the island in recent years and a “hustle and bustle” city environment that puts people in a mindset to rush around and become more selfish in their driving behavior, she said.

The Forbes Advisor report said 20% of Hawaii respondents admitted changing lanes or turning without signaling; 13% said they drove 20 mph or more over the speed limit in the past month; and 8% indicated they had run a red light.

Nearly half — or 47% — of the Hawaii motorists surveyed admitted speeding less than 10 mph over the limit in the past month.

The survey also revealed that Hawaii drivers ranked second for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; third for speeding 10 to 19 mph over the limit; and fourth for texting while driving, speeding to get through a yellow light and angrily honking at another driver.

Local motorists ranked sixth for refusing to yield to another driver and seventh for cutting off another driver.

Distracted driving

Young agreed that distracted driving is a major traffic safety issue, especially those who eat while behind the wheel. The Forbes Advisor report noted that eating while driving was the second-worst driving behavior in the nation, with 29% of survey respondents — 32% in Hawaii — admitting to eating while driving in the previous month.

Young recalled a time when she was eating a burger while driving and almost collided with a moped because both hands weren’t on the wheel.

Honolulu Police Department Maj. James Slayter explained there are three types of distractions while driving: manual, visual and cognitive.

Manual distractions occur when a driver doesn’t have both hands on the steering wheel, such as while eating or texting. Visual distractions happen when a driver takes their eyes off the road, for instance while watching a video or making eye contact while conversing with someone else in the car.

Cognitive distractions involve daydreaming or thinking too deeply about something, preventing the driver from focusing on the journey.

“Those are all habits that could lead to a crash,” Slayter said. “We want people to focus on the road, avoid distractions and remember that taking your eyes off the road for even a fraction of a second can mean the difference between life and death.”

Ryan Birkett, a 43-year-old Kailua resident, admitted that he often eats while driving.

“I think that just reflects our society nowadays,” he said. “Everyone’s on the run. There’s not a lot of time to take a break and eat, but it definitely takes the focus off the road.”

Birkett drives a Jeep with manual transmission that requires him to keep one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear stick at all times. He noted that as much as he tries to avoid distracted driving, his busy schedule often dictates his behavior on the road.

Birkett generally views himself as a “safe” and “good” driver, despite admitting to occasionally speeding.

Speeding along

HPD reported issuing 21,172 speeding tickets last year, and this year, as of Oct. 14, 18,716 speeding tickets had been issued.

Birkett, who moved to Hawaii from Los Angeles 17 years ago, recalled receiving a speeding ticket about 11 p.m. one night while driving on the Pali Highway, where the speed limit is 30 mph.

“On the mainland, more people speed and it’s actually dangerous,” he said.

Eriya Morimoto, a 26-year-­old Hawaii Kai resident, agreed with Birkett that some of the speed limits in Hawaii are unreasonably low.

“I’ve gotten a ticket for speeding, but I’d argue that the speed limit here is too low in some areas,” Morimoto said.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, Hawaii has the nation’s lowest maximum posted speed limit of 55 mph.

“Speed limits are typically set based on the design of the roadway, considering factors like visibility, grade, surface and expected congestion or density,” Slayter said. “Engineers put a lot of thought into the safety of our roadways; it’s not just an arbitrary number. There’s actually a lot of study, thought and science that goes into the speed limits they post.”

Slayter emphasized that speeding is a significant factor in fatal or critical collisions in Hawaii.

In 2017, Oahu averaged 90 motor vehicle collisions per day. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that number dropped to about 56 a day, but now, according to Slater, the figures are rising again, with Oahu averaging in the low 70s for motor vehicle collisions each day.

HPD also reported that more than 3,500 drivers were cited for excessive speeding last year. As of Oct. 14, more than 4,300 drivers had already been cited for the same offense this year. Additionally, HPD cited 341 drivers for racing on public roads last year, while as of Oct. 14, the number was 204.

“While you may think you’re a good driver and that you can handle Indy 500- or NASCAR-style driving, you need to consider that you could be pushing beyond your abilities,” Slayter said. “If you’re driving faster than your ability to control the vehicle, when an unexpected hazard arises, you may not be able to avoid it.”

Morimoto, who drives an Infiniti G37 Coupe sports car, shared that he occasionally attends car meets where drivers gather to cruise around together and sometimes engage in racing.

“The racing culture is amazing. It’s very social and generally safe, but accidents do happen,” he said. “We actually had a friend on a motorcycle pass away during one of these occasions, but it was due to another driver on the road who was allegedly not part of our group.”

Push for safety

HPD reported that as of early October, Oahu had recorded 36 fatalities related to motor vehicle collisions this year, 13 of which involved speeding and 16 linked to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Additionally, there have been 39 critical collisions, with 10 associated with speeding and two involving alcohol intoxication.

As of Oct. 14, HPD reported 1,220 arrests for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.

Slayter emphasized that education is crucial for improving traffic safety. He noted that HPD partners with schools and community stakeholders, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Walk Wise Hawaii, to spread awareness and educate the public about the importance of safety on the road.

“Granted, we do a lot of enforcement, but that’s only a fraction of the encounters we have on a daily basis,” he said. “Every chance we get, we’re trying to educate drivers on the need to wear their seat belts, the importance of safety equipment and the reasons behind age restrictions on e-bikes.”

Slayter urged drivers to slow down, obey posted speed limits and follow traffic laws, including stopping at red lights and stop signs. He also highlighted the importance of avoiding manual, visual and cognitive distractions that can divert attention from the road.

Slayter also stressed the importance of not driving impaired, especially with rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft available, and urged drivers never to get behind the wheel if they’ve taken any substance that could impair their ability to operate a vehicle safely, whether it’s alcohol, recreational drugs or medication.