Registration tax could increase for Hawaiʻi vehicles over 4,000 pounds

Trinity Gilliam at the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice said it is important to fund programs like Safe Routes to School.

“Hawaiʻi faces an urgent roadway safety crisis. In 2024 alone, there were 102 traffic fatalities statewide, with 42 percent involving pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrian deaths have increased by 26 percent in recent years,” she said.

“We would like stronger measures to protect our most vulnerable, especially keiki traveling to school. The Safe Routes to School Program plays a key role in this. However, it is severely underfunded. With state's mandates to complete multimodal networks in five years, greater investment is urgently needed.”