Tragedy struck yesterday evening as a 71-year-old woman lost her life on Kahekili Highway, marking Oahu's 72nd traffic fatality this year, significantly rising from 38 at this time in 2024. KHON2 reported that the Honolulu Emergency Medical Service responded to the scene around 7 p.m. near Haiku Road, where they pronounced the woman dead due to fatal injuries sustained from being hit by a vehicle.
According to a KITV report, the driver, a 69-year-old woman was traveling northbound when she struck the pedestrian, who was walking on the road outside of a marked crosswalk. Following the incident, Kahekili Highway was closed for several hours, with traffic rerouted onto Kamheameha Highway, while Kahekili Highway, between Haiku Road and Hui Iwa Street, was shut down to investigate and clear the accident scene.
The driver of the vehicle remained on site and declined transport to the hospital, as stated by EMS. She did not suffer injuries from the crash. Hawaii News Now added to the details, noting that the driver was also not injured in the crash, and investigators have ruled out speed, drugs, or alcohol as contributing factors to the accident.
The increase in traffic fatalities this year is a cause for growing concern. The heartbreaking incident occurred just hours after another fatality that claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl, putting a stark focus on pedestrian safety and the alarming trend in roadway deaths.
