Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth is urging Hawaiʻi County residents to employ safe driving practices on the island’s roadways.

Between January 24-31, Hawaiʻi Island saw 18 major traffic collisions, two of which were fatal.

On Thursday, January 27, a single-vehicle motorcycle collision took place on Highway 11 in South Kona and left one person dead.  Police believe speed was a possible factor in the collision. The operator was also not wearing a helmet

On Sunday, January 30, a three-car crash left three dead following a collision along Highway 11 in Glenwood. Inattention and speed are among the possible factors in the multi-vehicle incident

Between January 1-31, there have been four fatal collisions, resulting in six fatalities. That is compared with three fatal collisions, resulting in three fatalities for the same period in 2021, an increase of 33.3% for fatal collisions and 100% for fatalities.

In a press release Mayor Mitch Roth said, “We are asking that our residents drive with aloha and great attention to ensure that everybody gets home to their families and loved ones safely.  It is incredibly saddening to know that better practices on our roadways could have saved the lives of six members of our community this past week. Our administration sends our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and asks the community to think about them, remember them, and ultimately honor them by following the rules of the road. These sorts of traffic collisions are preventable and can be limited by being alert, aware, and attentive to ourselves, the roadways, and each other. Together, we can make our roads a safer place for all.”