
A new law based around crosswalks was established Hawaii, that came into practice this Monday states that a pedestrian cannot legally step foot on a crosswalk while there is a countdown timer being flashed. What is the penalty which a person who violates this law going to face? A fine which can be up to a hundred and thirty dollars. The captain of the Honolulu Police Department, Ben Moszkowicz said that what this law essentially did was to actually clarify what has already been the rule for years.
Ben supported the law, saying that “The only safe and appropriate time for you to begin crossing the street is when you see either the white upraised palm or you see the picture of the man walking.” He further elaborates, “What the law does (is that) it clarifies if you’re already in the intersection when the countdown timer begins, then you should have enough time and it’s legal for you to continue crossing.”
The law was passed by the legislation to curb the number of pedestrians losing their lives on the streets of Hawaii. It came as a response to the 43 pedestrian deaths in 2018 compared to 15 in 2017.