Pedestrian Safety Program
Educating Oʻahu's residents on safe pedestrian habits
Pedestrian Safety Coordinator
Dustin Malama
dustin.malama@honolulu.gov
(808) 768-8395
650 S. King Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Oahu Pedestrian Plan
Nearly everyone, for at least some portion of every day, is a pedestrian. Walking is the oldest and most efficient, affordable and environmentally-friendly form of transportation; it’s how keiki to kūpuna can independently get to community destinations, how transit riders get to and from their stops and how drivers and cyclists get from parking to the front door.
The Oahu Pedestrian Plan is the City and County of Honolulu’s long-term action plan to create a walkable street network that is vibrant, safe, accessible and enables pedestrians of all ages and abilities to get around safely (and comfortably) on foot. The Plan defines steps to make our street network more walkable, in support of healthy and livable communities. Developing the plan involves inventorying existing pedestrian conditions, identifying pedestrian safety issues, proposing pedestrian improvement projects and programs and prioritizing those improvements to facilitate walking and multimodal travel consistent with the City and County of Honolulu’s Complete Streets approach.
Learn more about the Oahu Pedestrian Plan and join the discussion!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Pedestrian Safety Program
- Do you provide pedestrian safety presentations? If yes, whom do I contact?
- Yes, we provide presentations to various groups, from children to seniors. Our presentation to children is about 45 minutes, while the presentation for adults is approximately 30 minutes. Generally, an officer from the Honolulu Police Department accompanies us at the adult presentations, while our own Ped Man accompanies us to the children’s presentation.
- Please email or call Dustin if you’d like to schedule a presentation. His email is dustin.malama@honolulu.gov and phone number is (808) 768-8395.
2. Can we volunteer at your pedestrian safety booth?
- Our department participates at many events throughout the year. We welcome volunteers who are interested in educating the public on pedestrian safety. Students (high school and college) have volunteered at our booth in order to obtain community service credit for their classes.
- Please email or call Dustin if you’re interested in assisting at one of our events. His contact information is above.
3. Would your department staff a pedestrian safety booth at an upcoming event? What do you do at these events?
- We participate at various events throughout the year, provided there’s no charge for the booth space. Our budget is limited, so we’re not able to participate at your event if there’s a fee. We usually bring a plinko game, whereby attendees (adults) can win a safety related prize such as a blinker, flashlight and visible white bag. We provide different prizes at children’s fairs, such as squeeze flashlights, reflective shoelaces and glow-in-the dark wristbands. Prior to playing the plinko game, each attendee is educated about pedestrian safety.
- Please email or call Dustin if you’d like our department to host a pedestrian safety booth at your event. His contact information is above.
Walking Tips
- Always look for turning cars before stepping off the curb to cross the street. You don’t want to be “dead” right.
- Always look left, right, left again, and over your shoulder before you step into the street.
- Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks
- Watch for vehicles turning into or backing out of parking spaces or driveways. Drivers don’t always see you.
- Dress to Be Seen: During the day, wear fluorescent or neon clothing. At night, wear reflective material on your clothing and accessories (bags, hats and shoes).
- When crossing in front of stopped cars, make eye contact to be sure drivers see you before crossing in front of them.
- Stand at least 10 feet away from the curb when waiting to cross the street or from where the bus will stop.
Walk Wise
Walk Wise Hawaii pedestrian committee is a program with a commitment to educating the residents of Hawaii on safe pedestrian habits.
Sidewalk/Crosswalk Rules and Regulations
What’s the fine for pedestrians who jaywalk?
$130
What’s the fine for pedestrians who begin crossing when the countdown signal begins to flash?
$130. However, if you’re already in the crosswalk when the countdown signal begins to flash, you are not violating the law and should finish crossing the street.