What counts as an unsafe lane change
What is the penalty for an unsafe lane change in Hawaii
Final word
What counts as an unsafe lane change
In Hawaii, or anywhere else for that matter, an unsafe lane change is when you change lanes without using your signal and/or first physically checking to make sure that it is safe to do so. This can include starting to signal as you are already changing lanes. As a rule of thumb, you should always check your blind spot before you change lanes as well as signal at least a hundred feet before you actually change lanes.
Its important to obey these rules, not just to avoid being pulled over and getting a ticket but also to avoid getting into a possible accident. You can easily get hit from behind as you change lanes if you do not give drivers in the lane you are merging into the right notice that you are doing so. You can also end up trading paint with the car next to you if you do not check your blind spot before trying to change lanes.
What is the penalty for an unsafe lane change in Hawaii
If you do end up getting caught making an unsafe lane change, you will be pulled over, ticketed and fined. The fine will likely cost you about two hundred dollars. There might also be court surcharges involved which can increase the price of the overall fine by about fifty dollars. Odds are you will likely have to go to court to determine the amount of money you will need to pay.
In addition to that you could potentially have your insurance rates increased. The way this is determined in Hawaii is based on the severity of the offense rather than automatic points on your license. If your unsafe lane change was deemed aggressive by a police officer, it caused an accident and/or this is a repeated offense by you, your insurance premiums will likely increase by at least ten percent.
Final word
Changing lanes safely is one of the simplest things that you can do while you are driving. However, many people take it for granted, get careless, or do so too haphazardly. When you change lanes in an unsafe manner, you put yourself and other motorists at risk of an accident which can result in damage to the vehicles involved or even injury. If you are caught changing lanes unsafely in Hawaii, you will be fined, likely will need to go to court and might even have your insurance premiums rise.
