Safety cameras to begin sending warnings for speed March 1
News release from HiDoT, Feb 28, 2025
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) advises motorists that the safety camera systems at 10 downtown Honolulu intersections will begin issuing warnings for speed on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Those intersections are:
Vineyard Boulevard and Pālama Street
Vineyard Boulevard and Liliha Street
Vineyard Boulevard and Nu‘uanu Avenue
Pali Highway and Vineyard Boulevard
Pali Highway and North School Street
Likelike Highway and North School Street
Ward Avenue and South King Street
Kapi‘olani Boulevard and Kamake‘e Street
South Beretania Street and Pi‘ikoi Street
McCully Street and Algaroba Street
Cameras at these intersections have been issuing citations for red-light running violations starting in November 2022. Comparing the crash data before activation of the cameras to after, there has been a 69% reduction in major crashes at these intersections. HDOT’s goal in activating the cameras to capture speeding is to further improve safety at these sites and serve as a reminder for drivers to follow posted speed limits.
“Speed is a crucial factor in whether or not someone will survive a car crash,” said Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen. “Although statistics show nearly half of the traffic deaths in Hawai‘i over the past five years are directly attributable to speed, we know through physics that the higher the collision speed the more serious the injury.[1] If motorists drive at appropriate speeds, we can reduce crashes and keep vulnerable users like pedestrians and bicyclists safe.”
The safety camera systems will issue warnings for violations of Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) §291C-108 between March 1 and April 29 as allowed in Chapter 291L to educate motorists of the requirement to follow the posted speed limit. Warnings and citations issued pursuant to Chapter 291L are not considered as moving violations and do not preclude a commissioned police officer from issuing traffic citations based on their discretion. Following the warning period, initial citations may be sent to registered owners of vehicles observed running red lights and exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph.
For more information or to ask questions about the speed safety camera implementation, visit https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/safety-camera-systems/
Quick Facts on Hawai‘i’s Safety Cameras
What is the process for safety camera system citations?
The incident (i.e., running a red light or speeding) occurs and is captured by the system as still images and a 12-second video.
Data transfers to the vendor’s processing center for preliminary screening.
A local reviewer (e.g., county police or a facsimile) checks the images, data, and speed captured by the system to make the determination if a violation has occured.
Approved violations are queued for printing and are mailed within 10-days of the initial incident.
The registered owner of the vehicle can review the data on the online portal after receiving the citation in the mail. Payments, questions, evidence explaining or denying the violation and court hearing requests may be submitted through the portal.
Where do the fines go? Does the vendor get a portion of the fine?
All fines collected shall be deposited into the automated enforcement systems program special fund. The fund can only be used for the establishment, implementation, operation, oversight, repair, and maintenance of the safety camera systems. The vendor is not paid based on the number of citations given by the system.
Can the system take a photo of the driver and cite the driver instead?
No, due to privacy concerns Hawaiʻi law specifies the responsibility of the registered owner of the motor vehicle for violations captured by safety camera systems.
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[1] https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa1304/Resources3/08%20-%20The%20Relation%20Between%20Speed%20and%20Crashes.pdf