DANGEROUS BY DESIGN Hawai’i State Report

Hawaii 30th Most Dangerous State by the Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI)

From Smart Growth America, June, 2019

When we design streets to move cars as quickly as possible instead of prioritizing the safety of all people, the consequences can be deadly, especially for people walking. Between 2008 and 2017, drivers struck and killed 226 people walking in Hawai’i. Over the past decade, the number of people struck and killed by drivers while walking increased by 35.4 percent nationwide, and in Hawai’i, pedestrian deaths decreased by 30.0 percent during this time period. …

In Dangerous by Design 2019, Smart Growth America’s biannual report on pedestrian safety, Hawai’i ranked as the 30th most dangerous state for people walking, using our “Pedestrian Danger Index” (PDI), which measures the number of people struck and killed while walking, controlling for population size and walking rates. Between 2008-2017, Hawai’i received a PDI score of 36.4, compared to a national PDI of 55.3. This supplemental state report ranks the most dangerous metro areas for people walking in Hawai’i….

Although people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and income levels sufer the consequences of dangerous street design, some neighborhoods and groups of people bear a larger share of the burden than others. Nationwide, drivers disproportionately strike and kill older adults, people of color, and people walking in low income communities….

Hawai’i is the 3rd most dangerous state for older adults. Between 2008-2017, adults over 50 were 2.6 times as likely to be struck and killed while walking compared to people under 50….

Hawai’i still has a long way to go to better protect the safety of all people who use the street, especially the most vulnerable users. Adopting a Complete Streets policy can be an important frst step toward ensuring decisions about how to fund, design, operate, maintain, and measure the success of our roads prioritize safety for all users. Our lives, and the lives of our friends, families, and neighbors, depend on it….

read … Hawaii Report

LINK: Dangerous By Design 2019

HNN: Report: Hawaii is among most dangerous places for older pedestrians