Giving pedestrians a head start in 2026
As pedestrian fatalities and injuries are on the rise in Hawaiʻi, the state must invest in improvements to make it easier and safer for people to walk.
For too long, our transportation system has prioritized the speed and convenience of cars over the safety of people. Nowhere is that more apparent than at signalized intersections—places meant to organize movement safely, yet where pedestrians are most likely to be seriously injured or killed. According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, more than half of pedestrian crashes occur at intersections. These risks fall disproportionately on keiki, kūpuna, people with disabilities, and those who rely on walking and transit every day.
Two simple, low-cost solutions—Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) and Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS)—can dramatically reduce these dangers. This year, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature has an opportunity to make these proven safety tools standard practice through HB1884 / SB2470, also known as the Pedestrian Head Start bill.
What Is a Pedestrian Head Start?
LPIs give people walking a brief head start—typically three to seven seconds—before cars receive a green light. That small window allows pedestrians to step into the crosswalk, become visible, and establish their right of way before turning vehicles move.
LPIs directly address one of the most common and deadly crash types: drivers failing to yield while turning. The Federal Highway Administration recognizes LPIs as a proven safety countermeasure. In Seattle, intersections with LPIs saw a 48 percent reduction in pedestrian turning collisions and a 34 percent reduction in serious and fatal pedestrian injuries. In New York City, a 2025 study found a 33 percent reduction in pedestrian injuries at LPI-treated intersections—and a staggering 65 percent drop in fatal pedestrian crashes during daytime hours.
In short: a few seconds head start can mean the difference between life and death for pedestrians.
Safety Must Also Mean Accessibility
Pedestrian safety improvements are only effective if they work for everyone. That’s why LPIs must be paired with APS, which communicate WALK and DON’T WALK information through audible and vibrotactile cues. This allows blind and low-vision pedestrians to cross intersections safely and independently. Without APS, many people must rely on guesswork or inconsistent traffic sounds to decide when it is safe to cross.
Importantly, installing LPIs without APS can unintentionally exclude blind and low-vision pedestrians, who may miss the early walk interval altogether. Pairing these treatments ensures safety benefits are shared equitably and helps Hawaiʻi meet its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Despite federal guidance and best practices, APS and LPIs remain rare across Hawaiʻi, and there is no transparent, statewide system for tracking or installing them.
A Smart, Cost-Effective Investment
LPIs are among the most cost-effective safety improvements available. In many cases, they can be installed through simple signal retiming, costing as little as a few hundred dollars per intersection. Even when paired with APS or traffic studies, the costs are modest compared to other infrastructure projects—and negligible when weighed against the human and economic costs of pedestrian injuries.
Having a proactive approach to installing APS signals is also smart from a legal perspective. Across the country, cities that have lagged in making intersections accessible are increasingly facing class-action lawsuits under the ADA. In some cases, those lawsuits have led to sweeping, court-mandated installation programs at thousands of intersections.
Chicago, for example, agreed in 2025 to install APS at more than 70 percent of its signalized intersections over the next decade after litigation revealed that fewer than 0.5 percent were accessible. New York City reached a similar agreement in 2020, committing to APS installations at over 10,000 intersections—showing that delaying action can ultimately force cities into far more costly and rushed solutions.
In 2025 alone, pedestrian fatalities in Hawaiʻi imposed hundreds of millions of dollars in medical, legal, and societal costs. Preventing even a single serious injury or death would more than pay for installing LPIs at dozens of intersections statewide.
What HB1884 / SB2470 Would Do
The Pedestrian Head Start bill takes a common-sense, evidence-based approach to roadway safety by requiring:
The installation of LPIs and APS at all new and modified signalized intersections.
A minimum number of existing intersections to be upgraded each year, prioritizing locations with high rates of pedestrian crashes.
A systematic, transparent approach to implementation, moving away from ad-hoc decisions toward accountability and equity.
Walking is one of the most affordable, healthy, and climate-friendly ways to get around. But no one should have to risk their life to cross the street. At a time when pedestrian fatalities are rising and the cost of living continues to strain Hawaiʻi families, we need solutions that are effective, affordable, and ready to deploy now.
