Low-cost safety tools can prevent pedestrian deaths in Hawaiʻi, yet remain “virtually absent”
HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — As pedestrian fatalities in Hawaiʻi reach their highest levels in nearly two decades, a new policy brief released by Hawaiʻi Appleseed identifies two proven, low-cost safety solutions that are standard practice in cities globally, but are shockingly underutilized across the islands.
The brief, titled “Pedestrian Head Start,” examines the benefits of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) and Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs). These tools are designed to make signalized intersections—some of the most dangerous places for people walking and biking—safer and more inclusive for all users, including those with disabilities.
Signalized intersections put high volumes of cars and vulnerable road users in direct conflict. While pedestrian fatalities on Oʻahu have jumped 38 percent in recent years, the brief finds that Hawaiʻi has failed to adopt low-cost countermeasures that have drastically reduced pedestrian injuries and deaths in major U.S. cities.
While LPIs and APS can cost thousands of dollars where installed, a single pedestrian fatality can cost our society over $10 million in medical care, work loss, household productivity, insurance administration, and legal costs. With 129 roadway fatalities in 2025—the highest since 2007—and pedestrians accounting for 29 percent of those deaths, the report concludes that inaction is no longer acceptable.
“The math is clear, and the moral imperative is even clearer. Every year, we lose neighbors, family members, and friends on roads that are designed to prioritize speed over safety,” said Abbey Seitz, Director of Transportation Equity at Hawaiʻi Appleseed. “We are calling on lawmakers to mandate these simple, proven fixes and applaud the advancement of Senate Bill 2470, which would address this gap in pedestrian safety.”
The brief highlights two key technologies:
Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs): This simple software change gives pedestrians a 3–7 second head start to enter the crosswalk before vehicles get a green light. A 2025 Columbia University study of New York City found that LPIs led to a 33 percent reduction in pedestrian injuries and a 65 percent drop in daytime fatalities. In Seattle, the devices cut vehicle-pedestrian collisions by nearly half.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS): These devices communicate walk intervals through audible tones and vibrotactile surfaces, ensuring that blind or low-vision pedestrians can navigate intersections safely and independently. While required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for new or modified signals, there is no public data on how many intersections in Hawaiʻi have them, nor is there a formal process for residents to request them. Major cities like Chicago and New York are currently under court order to install thousands of these devices after class-action lawsuits forced their hand.
Despite the effectiveness of these measures, the brief finds they are “virtually absent” in Hawaiʻi. To address this, the report makes three urgent recommendations for state and county transportation agencies:
Establish a Public Program: Create a formal, transparent system for residents to request APS and LPIs, and for agencies to track and report on their installation.
Mandate for New Projects: Require that LPIs and APS be installed at all newly constructed or significantly modified signalized intersections, bringing the state into compliance with federal ADA guidelines.
Set Annual Implementation Targets: Mandate that the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) and counties install LPIs at a minimum of 20 to 30 intersections per year, pairing them with APS devices to ensure equity for blind and low-vision pedestrians.
“Every day we wait to implement these proven strategies, we are accepting preventable deaths as the cost of doing business,” Seitz added. “It is time for Hawaiʻi to catch up with the rest of the nation and give our pedestrians the safe head start they deserve.”
