Many people get around the Hawaii Islands on foot or by bike. While this can be an incredibly fun way to take in the sights, sounds, and weather, it can also be extremely dangerous. In fact, in 2021 alone, 25 pedestrians were killed when they were struck by a vehicle, and 9 people were in killed in bicycle accidents in 2023, the latter of which was a new record.
From 2017 to 2021, there were more than 2,700 pedestrian crashes, with 336 of them resulting in serious injuries and 137 causing death. During that same time period, there were 92 bicycle crashes that resulted in serious injury and 23 that resulted in fatality.
As a result, thousands of lives are impacted by these accidents. Those who are lucky enough to survive them often face a long and painful road to recovery, while surviving family members of those who are killed in these crashes struggle to cope with the loss of their loved one and to figure out how to put their lives back together.
What causes Hawaii’s pedestrian and bicycle accidents?
There’s no one cause of these bicycle and pedestrian wrecks. However, there are some common contributing factors. This includes:
- Speeding: Motorists who drive too fast will struggle to slow or stop for pedestrians and bicyclists, whether those pedestrians and bicyclists are on the side of the road or in a crosswalk. Unfortunately, despite numerous public safety initiatives, speeding continues to be a problem across the state.
- Drunk driving: Hawaii has its fair share of drunk driving, with a significant portion of it being spurred by tourists. Regardless of how safe you are walking or biking around, you can be taken by surprise by an intoxicated driver who swerves onto a sidewalk, blows through a red light, or otherwise fails to yield the right of way.
- Inattention: Many of Hawaii’s cities are crowded. This means that driver’s need to exercise extra care to avoid hitting pedestrians and bicyclists. Yet, all too often these drivers are distracted by the sights around them and their attempts to turn into traffic. When turning, these drivers often fail to recognize whether they’ll be turning into the path of a bicyclist or pedestrian, which can lead to a catastrophic accident.
There are, of course, several other factors that can lead to a serious pedestrian or bicycling accident. If you or a loved one was injured in one of these wrecks, then now is the time to start thinking about your next steps.
What should you do after being hurt in a pedestrian or bicycle accident?
You need to consider taking legal action. To successfully do so, though, you’ll need to be armed with compelling evidence. Doing the following can be helpful:
- Taking pictures of the accident scene.
- Taking pictures of your injuries.
- Seeking prompt medical care.
- Following your doctor’s treatment recommendations.
- Gathering witness accounts.
- Writing down witness contact information.
- Securing expert witnesses who can help you prove challenging parts of your case.
- Tracking your losses.
Doing these things will build a strong foundation for your legal action. It’ll also help you tell your story in a persuasive fashion, which will be necessary if you want to convince a judge or jury to side with you and award you compensation.
We know that dealing with the legalities of your case can be stressful, frightening, and overwhelming, but don’t let the uncertainty of it all freeze you into procrastination or inaction. Instead, use it as a motivating factor to fight for the accountability and compensation that you deserve.