A 68-year-old man lost his life in a tragic bicycle collision on Haleakala Highway, making it the 12th traffic fatality in Maui County this year, a figure that, while sobering, shows a decrease from 16 at the same time in 2023. The fatal incident, which involved a Maui Downhill riding group, occurred on the afternoon of Friday, around 2:30 p.m. just south of Mile Marker 6 in Kula, as reported by KHON2.
The KITV report noted that the man, while wearing protective gear, unexpectedly veered across the yellow double-sided lane and collided with a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, the driver of the car stopped immediately after the accident happened and cooperated with the authorities at the scene, however, despite wearing a helmet, the man suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the location of the crash.
Former Maui County council member Mike Molina suggested to KHON2 that the road is challenging and "can be a little treacherous, especially for folks who are riding these tour bikes who haven’t been on a bike for many, many years and they could lose control." His words underscore the risks inherent on this stretch of highway for less experienced riders. To address such safety concerns, Molina had previously championed regulations limiting the size of bike tour groups and the ages of participants, and outlining the specific stretch of highway permissible for these tours.
Despite safety measures, Travis Counsell, the Executive Director of the Hawaii Bicycling League, warned about the dangers of biking in Hawaii. He told KHON2 that while a Hawaiian vacation is wonderful, visitors must be aware of the risks involved. The community is debating whether current laws are enough or if bike tours should be banned, especially after recent incidents. Molina believes it's important for the government to reevaluate existing laws to improve public safety.
This incident is significant because it is the first bicyclist death on Haleakala Highway since 2014. There were also serious accidents involving tour participants in 2020 and 2021.
