Hawaii ‘Eyes on the Road’

A unique partnership to keep Hawaii’s roads safe and clean for everyone.

from UH College of Engineering

In conjunction with the University of Hawaii College of Engineering, the Hawaii Department of Transportation is making available 1000 dashcams to the public, free of charge. With your help, these cameras will record all roads that you drive normally each day, collecting imagery that the Hawaii DOT will use for maintenance and repair activities, and giving you the opportunity to report unsafe drivers directly to the authorities. By fixing issues quickly before they become large problems, and by cracking down on reckless drivers, Hawaii DOT will create a safer road network for all who use it.

• 21% of all traffic fatalities in Hawaii are caused by distracted driving
• 92 fatalities reported in 2023 alone on Hawaii roads
• 14% increase in the traffic fatality rate in Hawaii from 2019 to 2022

About the Program

Every day, Hawaii’s roads are traveled by thousands of vehicles. With all of this traffic, problems can easily arise. Many of these issues can pose major safety concerns if not addressed quickly. The problem is there aren’t enough Hawaii DOT crews available to manually drive roads and look for problems, and there aren’t enough law enforcement officers to ensure unsafe drivers are cited.

Through this innovative new program, Hawaii residents can apply to receive a complimentary high-resolution dash camera to record the road as you drive normally each day.

These cameras are already helping other state and local agencies maintain safer roads. The imagery is uploaded automatically to the cloud, analyzed by AI and machine learning software, and Hawaii DOT is alerted to any of the following issues:

• Potholes and pavement cracking
• Damaged guardrails
• Faded road paint
• Vegetation growing into the roadway or covering signs
• Debris in the road or alongside the shoulder
• Active work zones

In addition, if your camera records an instance of reckless driving, road rage, or any other unsafe activity on the road, you can submit your video clip directly to the local authorities through an app on your cell phone, ensuring that Hawaii roads are kept safe for everyone.

Interested in Joining the Program?

There is no cost to join the Hawaii Eyes on the Road program. Follow these simple steps to get started:

• Read the Frequently Asked Questions below (at link) to fully understand how the program will work and what is expected of you
• Submit your information on the form below. You’ll be contacted if you have been approved to join the program.
• Once approved, you will receive instructions on where to pick up your free dash camera and how to install it in your vehicle
• Drive as you normally do every day. Imagery from your camera is automatically uploaded and analyzed for the DOT.
• To submit instances of reckless or dangerous driving, you can submit your video clip through the free smartphone app.

read … Full Report

KHON: State gives away 1,000 dashcams to make roads safer

SA: Kokua Line: Why is state giving out dashcams? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser