Maui Police Department is the first in Hawaii to spearhead the Put The Phone Away Or Pay campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Does that mean the other islands are not taking cell phone use seriously when driving on our roads? With the national campaign starting April 1, time is running out for them to join publicly.
Maui will have zero tolerance for using mobile electronic devices, especially during the campaign period, which runs through April. The “Put The Phone Away Or Pay” campaign led by NHTSA is more than just extra enforcement; it’s part of a collective effort to improve Hawaii road safety for everyone, residents and visitors alike. In doing so, Maui hopes to set a precedent for responsible tourism and community safety.
According to the Maui Police Department Facebook page, “Motorists can also expect saturation patrols, which will include the use of unmarked patrol vehicles, where there is a noticeable increase in traffic enforcement to address distracted driving (cell phone use) while driving.”
“We need our community to understand it is up to them to make the decision to put their phone down and buckle up while driving. Please help put an end to senseless and preventable crashes that have occurred on our roadways due to distracted driving.”
Maui Police Department
We checked the Facebook pages of police departments on Kauai, Oahu and Big Island. There was no mention of this campaign, which is focused on distracted driving awareness and enforcement. Our research found that the Kauai Police Department has not posted anything on Facebook since October 2022.
NHTSA wants to reduce avoidable crashes and fatalities linked to distracted driving. While the State of Hawaii has legislation against using cell phones while driving, the Maui campaign is intended to call attention to the issue.
Currently, fines in Hawaii start at $300 and go to $400 if you are caught driving and using a cell phone in a construction area or school zone. Read the Hawaii law on this for more information.
Accidents and distracted driving are issues for Hawaii residents and visitors equally. This heightened focus on reducing distracted driving is especially pertinent for visitors who may be unfamiliar with Maui roads and driving customs, and may be using mapping on their phone for navigation.
For Maui’s visitors, who flock to the island for its stunning landscapes and warm Aloha spirit, this campaign is an important reminder of responsible driving while on vacation. It is easy enough to be distracted by the island’s beauty when driving without adding cell phone use.
The campaign sends a critical message to both residents and visitors: the act of driving demands full attention and responsible behavior. Not using cell phones while driving is a legal and moral obligation.
Please help make Maui and all Hawaii roads safer for everyone, carrying the message of aloha by caring for one another’s safety!
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So is using your phone for mapping okay? It’s not clear from the article.
So n
answer no, Whip the phone to see if you need to turn left or right get a $500fine.
No, not while driving. You set it “before” you leave. I am lucky to have a Tesla and the screen is built in. I always put my final destination (with or without stops in between) before I leave. I can also ajust the screen. I am not doing that while I am driving. Wheather it’s a Tesla screeen or your phone, if you get lost, you need to find a safe place to stop. Isn’t that what was done for decades ..stopping to look at a map? People have lost all common sense.
Well no bck before pols itching to be the next dear leader ruled you just looked at your map While Driving. I try to rent mustangs which have a gps built in. But as most cars dont have gps the law should have an exception for using your phone as a map. But why give up a chance to punish the modern day 3rd estate with big fines which can be used to spend on projects the big $ donors want but will never pay a lenny in taxes.
Thanks for your reply and I agree. I asked because as a fairly frequent visitor I usually have a rental car and so I like to use my phone for navigation and wanted to be sure it wasn’t against the new law to be looking at the phone screen even for that.
This is what you get with one party rule. Get what you vote for.
Distracted driving is not limited to Maui. It’s a daily occurrence throughout the islands to be stuck behind someone staring down into their lap while the light turns green.
The more egregious Maui driving behavior are tourists who exit their vehicles on one-lane bridges over waterfalls to take pictures, stuffing up traffic in both directions and making it almost impossible for emergency vehicles to get through. Those folks need a one-way transfer to the airport and get booted off the island permanently.
I agree that people should be attentive when they drive and tourists should be more considerate. However I used to live in Sedona, Arizona which is a big tourist destination and a lot of the road ways were single lane, and tourist drivers were very distracted by the mountains and red rock views. It could be very frustrating for the residents but for for the most part we reminded ourselves to be patient with them because they brought a lot to our local economy and made it possible for us to have amenities we otherwise wouldn’t have had. Not that dangerous or discourteous driving is ok but it might help us all to try to exercise a little patience with each other.
I am so happy to hear about this. Distracted driving is a horrible habit. Also happy with any enforcement to get people to slow down, and pay attention to driving.
Almost 8 months since the 100 Lahaina fire deaths. Have Pelletier and the Maui police testified about why the blocked streets and failure to evacuate residents?
Sad State, no justice for the victims?
No help for us fire survivers and the state thinks it’s a good idea to do this! What a waste of time and taxpayers money. Stop the BS campaigns and start helping us Lahaina residents in actual need. Disgraceful!
It’s about time!
It seems like more people are on their phones than not. On kihei Rd it’s crazy.
Problem with this is it never applies to many of these officers who do exactly what they say there enforcing.
I have also watched numerous police tapping on their huge screens attached to dash board while driving. I have also watched them hide to catch cars speeding. That’s called a speed trap. And using unmarked cars creates same issue.
Reality: When people see a police car on side of road they slow down and become more alert. That is the purpose to bring safety. Not to gather up tickets for Maui revenue.
And sitting in a car and using unmarked cars is disrespectful. They need to drive and look for problems
But in Maui illegal speed traps and revenue making tickets do Nothing to promote safety.
Sorry for the reality check.
Police officers have many hours of training and proficiency tests that allow them to “tap on their huge screens” to do police business. Most civilians don’t and are checking texts or even emails. You are right about empty cop cars by the side of the road. Many communities use them – one town even put a blow up doll in the front seat. It works. An empty cop car was frequently seen on the Lahaina Bypass to keep people from stopping to take pictures. But texting and driving is serious stuff. Whatever they can do to stop it before it kills people is the true reality check.
No amount of training can allow anyone including police to take there eyes off the road and tap on their screen and still focus on driving. That is the point.
There is no law that makes that exception for Anyone. Including police.
Driving while looking at your phone or screen endangers everyone.
That is reality. You can’t drink and drive You can’t read and drive. Anything that impairs alertness. Police can pull over to do business on there screens.
That is the point.
And yes park where visible to alert drivers and promote safety. Don’t hide to collect ticket revenue.
Aloha
I can’t count how many times I see a cop on the phone,
would this include using the phone for nav? like how are visitors going to know how to get where they wish to go? I had a nokia with a real stat based gps and still ended up in back roads trying to reach the north shore from hnl. Seems not knowing where you’re going is more of a risk then a quick glance at the phone as you would a map to see if you need to chg lanes, etc.
Why does it feel lately like official ha meets every am on a con call and the subject is now that tourism is down just how can we sequeze the revenue miss from the remaiming suckers er visitors? Any ideas anyone?
This isn’t a law unique to Hawaii. I don’t know where you live, but the cat majority of the U.S. already have these same laws and strict enforcement. In fact, I think Hawaii is probably a bit late to the party. While there have been some anti-tourist signals, putting this in that group is unfair and unreasonable.
That’s a good question?
How can using your GPS for navigation be a distraction?
Some people even mount their cell phone on the dash to navigate, would that be illegal now as well?
This sounds like a great way to extort more $$$
So you can ir cannot have it mounted on the dash and use it for navigation?
No one needs to be talking on the phone while driving period!
Smart move by Maui law enforcement and NHTSA. Between the irresponsible use of alcohol, cannabis and electronic stuff while driving, anything that lessens traffic accidents is welcome, certainly for safety-minded tourists who might mistakenly assume that almost everyone else thinks like they do.
not really, when I rent a car I always link the phone to hands free system and use voice to talk and hear sms msgs. Not all cars have a map / gps so it should be legal to use the phone for nav as you would a map. Not so much a knock on ha we have the same $ grubbing control freaks in the wa legistor shelling safety when it’s just a $ grab.
Now that every car has bluetooth, I don’t know why you would want to hold your phone.
I bought an inexpensive Bluetooth earpiece to use in my 2007 Scion, which didn’t have built-in Bluetooth technology. I recently purchased a 2024 Toyota that contains so much technology it qualified for its own user manual. I’m one of the first Gen Xers and even I figured out how to use the Bluetooth via the touchscreen. I don’t know why either.
Not every car has blue tooth.
AZ has had a “Hands Off” law since 2021 and it includes cell phones, tablets, gaming devices and music devices. You’d probably not be surprised to see the # of drivers who keep their phones in their laps and are busy trying to text while oblivious to the fact that the light has turned green. Or while driving down the road while yakking on their phones that they’re holding in the same hand they’re trying to drive with.
One word: Bluetooth. You can use it in a vehicle just as easily as you do when walking on a sidewalk if you must chat immediately with someone.
gaming devices and texting ….wow! I wouldn’t want to be near a driver like that!
My cellphones connect to my car and automatically answers so my hands never leave the wheel. It’s a if I’m talking to someone sitting in my car. Does this count as cellphone useage?
Does distracted driving also include picking up a burger from a take-out bag and eating it while driving (and going for the bag for the fries, etc.)? What about distractions from children in the back seat? …or handing them something to eat while driving? There are n number of other things that could well qualify as being distracted while driving. I wonder how far this law will eventually go.
In the UK it is illegal to eat and drink while driving!
Hawaii did not have a cell phone ban prior to this?