HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
2213
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to pedestrians.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that traffic fatalities remain a serious and ongoing public safety concern in the State. In 2025, there were one hundred twenty-nine traffic fatalities statewide, including thirty-eight fatalities involving pedestrians, many of whom were kupuna and individuals lawfully crossing within marked crosswalks. The legislature further finds that pedestrians, particularly kupuna and others with limited mobility, require additional time and protection to safely cross roadways.
The legislature believes existing law does not sufficiently ensure that drivers maintain a safe distance from pedestrians approaching from the opposite half of the roadway or remain stopped until pedestrians have reached a position of safety.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to strengthen pedestrian right-of-way protections to prevent fatalities, improve driver accountability, and promote safer crosswalks for all roadway users by specifying that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.
SECTION 2. Section 291C-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) The driver of a vehicle shall stop for a pedestrian who is crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is either:
(1) Upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling; or
(2) Approaching the vehicle so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger,
and shall not proceed until the pedestrian has [[Struck through: passed the vehicle]] [Underlined: crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway] and the driver can safely proceed.
For purposes of this section, "a pedestrian who is crossing the roadway within a crosswalk" occurs when any part or extension of the pedestrian, including any part of the pedestrian's body, wheelchair, cane, crutch, or bicycle, is beyond the curb or edges of the traversable roadway and moves onto the roadway within an intersection or crosswalk."
SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
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Report Title:
Pedestrians; Right-of-way in Crosswalks
Description:
Specifies that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.
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