As a West Maui resident, occasional cyclist, daily walker/runner and somewhat keen observer of my neighborhood, I'm amazed at the percentage of drivers who disregard the Hawaii distracted driving laws.
All of Hawaii's counties have enacted distracted driving laws. If you drive in Hawaii, be aware that text messaging and the use of hand-held cellphones are illegal.
I would estimate that one in three drivers I see while I'm out in the neighborhood are using their hand-held cellphones. There is an almost complete disregard for this law.
As someone who is at risk while riding a bike, driving or even walking along the sidewalk, I wonder what can be done to stop these dangerous lawbreakers. The law has been in effect for almost two years and Maui County has written an average of less than three tickets per day. I see two drivers a minute on their phones.
Perhaps some of the $197 I spend per year to keep my car - which, by the way, is 25 years old and worth less than $500 - registered legally can be used to stop these blatant lawbreakers.
Bob Fritz
Kahana
