Recent Hawaii Shipping News

Jump to section:
Defensive driving basics
Direct benefits from defensive driving
Conclusion
 

Defensive driving basics

Defensive driving is a course that you can take to improve your driving skills that are related to safety. What you learn from taking a defensive driving course will not just make the way that you drive safer, it will allow you to avoid potentially unsafe situations rather than just reacting to them. Specifically, defensive driving teaches those who take the course the high value of using seat belts, keeping a safe distance in front of you when driving, avoiding all distractions, always checking your blind spots, correctly using your mirrors, and navigating intersections with caution.

In 2023 and beyond in Hawaii, you will be able to take a defensive driving course in-person or online. Which way you decide to take a defensive driving course will be completely up to you. The online course is good if you want to take the course for a few minutes or a few sections at a time from the comfort of your home. However, the online course has been considered more detailed and difficult by some people and it often takes longer than an in-person class overall. The in-person course is good if you just want to get it all out of the way in one four hour sitting and/or prefer a classroom setting over sitting in front of a computer. Both courses count exactly the same in terms of both direct and indirect benefits.
 

Direct benefits from defensive driving

In addition to the peace of mind that you are driving much more safely and at considerably lower risk of getting into an accident, there are several other great direct benefits that you will get from taking a defensive driving course in Hawaii. Many people take the course because it will lower their car insurance premium payments by about 10% every year for three years after completing the course. This means if you pay an average of $1,200 per year in Hawaii for full coverage auto insurance, you will save $360 over three years! Subtract the price of the course, which is around $35 and that’s still a very substantial amount of money saved at $325.

In addition to potentially saving on your car insurance payments, defensive driving can also help you get a ticket dismissed or meet a requirement decreed by a court in Hawaii. For example, if you were driving very recklessly or have a history of reckless driving, as part of the punishment a Judge can require that you take a defensive driving course. In some cases, taking a defensive driving course can even get a ticket dismissed. Either way, you must have authorization from a Judge/court referral before taking a defensive driving course in order for it to give you either of the above benefits.

Other benefits from taking defensive driving in Hawaii can include lower auto repair and maintenance costs. This is because as a defensive driver you will not get into many or likely any accidents plus you will put less wear and tear on your car overall because you will be driving slower and less aggressively. Finally, if you drive for a living, such as a truck driver or Uber driver, defensive driving can be a requirement. If you have already passed within the previous three years, you will be able to start working sooner without having to take the course again.
 

Conclusion

Taking a defensive driving course in Hawaii has multiple benefits ranging from being much safer when you are out on the road to saving hundreds of dollars on your car insurance. Those that take a defensive driving course will learn not only how to drive more safely themselves, but they will learn how to anticipate and avoid dangerous situations altogether. Taking a defensive driving course is quite easy and can be done in a one-off in-person four hour course or in an online course at your leisure.

Jump to section:
Motorcycle and moped licenses
Other types of licenses
Conclusion
 

Motorcycle and moped licenses

The first two classes of licenses that you can get in Hawaii are for mopeds and motorcycles. Mopeds are covered under a Class 1 license in Hawaii while motorcycles are covered under a Class 2 license. Both licenses cover two or three wheeled vehicles. The big difference between the two classes of licenses is that the Class 1 license specifies maximum horsepower and speed. This is why a motorcycle license is a completely different class of license in Hawaii.

Specifically, a Class 1 license (or moped license) allows for a maximum horsepower of two and a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour. Moped licenses also specify that the vehicle must have a max capacity of one rider whereas motorcycle licenses or Class 2 licenses in Hawaii do not.
 

Other types of licenses

Other types of licenses in Hawaii will include any license required for driving a vehicle that is not a moped or motorcycle. This will also include commercial driver’s licenses which are required in order to be able to legally operate any commercial vehicles such as box trucks, semi-trucks, cargo vans, busses and more.

The following are the other types of licenses required to operate specific vehicles in Hawaii:

• Class 3 – This type of license is a regular driver’s license required or driving a standard passenger car. These licenses specify that the vehicle must be less than eighteen thousand pounds and that they can hold no more than 15 passengers.
• Class 4 – These licenses are for vehicles that weigh up to 26 thousand pounds. They almost exclusively cover RVs or RV-type trailers such as fifth wheelers.
• Class A CDL – If the vehicle you plan on driving exceeds 26 thousand pounds and the towed portion of the vehicle weighs 10 thousand pounds or more, then you will need a Class A Commercial Driver’s License. The vehicles that are typically within the weight and specification range for this license are flatbed trucks, 18-wheelers, tankers and more.
• Class B CDL – This license will permit you to operate a vehicle over 26 thousand pounds where the towed portion of the vehicle is less than 10 thousand pounds. Vehicles that you need this license to operate include large busses (such as segmented busses or double-deckers) and straight trucks. This license also allows you to operate a Class C CDL vehicle but not any Class A CDL vehicles.
• Class C CDL – A Class C CDL will allow someone to operate a vehicle that can transport 16 or more occupants or a vehicle that is transporting hazardous materials (with the right endorsement).
• Instruction Permit – An instruction permit will simply allow an unlicensed driver to practice driving safely under several specific conditions. These conditions are that the driver must be at least fifteen and a half years old, the driver must be accompanied by a fully licensed driver 21 years old or older, a parent/guardian must be present if the permit holder is driving between 11PM and 5AM, and they cannot have more than one other individual in the car with them under the age of 18.

Conclusion

Getting your driver’s license in Hawaii is obviously required by law prior to operating any type of vehicle on a public roadway. However, each different type of license that you can get will only cover specific types of vehicles. For example, Class 1 and 2 licenses in Hawaii only allow the operation of mopeds and motorcycles respectively. For much larger vehicles like Busses and 18-wheelers, you will be required to have a commercial driver’s license.

Jump to section:
What you can do to your windshield to avoid sun glare
How to react to sun glare when driving
Conclusion
 

What you can do to your windshield to avoid sun glare

Sun glare can be extremely dangerous when you are driving. Sun glare causes between 8,000 and 10,000 car accidents per year according to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association. Being proactive is always a better approach to an issue than just reacting to it. That is why you should do everything you can to make sure any potential sun glare gets minimized before you even start driving on any bright sunny days in Hawaii of which there are a ton.

You can start minimizing any possible sun glare on your windshield by first ensuring that it is completely clean both on the outside and on the inside. A dirty windshield can worsen sun glare by scattering the powerful rays of light hitting it which makes seeing even more difficult. You can also make sure that you have the right type of sunglasses handy in case sun glare ever gets too extreme when you are driving.

Planning will also go a long way to reducing the impact sun glare can have on you as you drive in Hawaii. If possible, change your plans so that you will not have to drive in the direction of the sun when it has just risen or is in the middle or end of setting. Do not drive east while it is rising and do not drive west while it is setting. Finally, you can really get ahead of sun glare by tinting your windshield as much as you legally can. In Hawaii, windshield tints are permitted to be on the top four inches of the windshield and must be non-reflective.
 

How to react to sun glare when driving

If you forget to do any of the above in terms of avoiding sun glare when driving and must fight through it while you drive, you can still make things much easier on yourself in several ways. First, pull down your sun visor and ensure that it is properly angled to block as much glare as possible. You can also start driving much more defensively meaning you should get over to the right-most lane of traffic, slow down, and put more distance between yourself and the car in front of you. Another tip to drive through heavy periods of sun glare will be to focus more on the road markings on the road directly in front of you rather than the horizon ahead.
 

Conclusion

Sun glare is something that needs to be taken extremely seriously when you are driving in Hawaii. Hawaii has mostly bright and sunny weather, which means sun glare can consistently be an issue here. Each year, sun glare causes thousands of car accidents. In order to prevent or at least minimize sun glare’s impact, you should always keep your car’s windshield clean (inside and out), try to avoid driving while the sun rises or sets, always have sunglasses handy and you should consider getting the top part of your windshield tinted as well.

Jump to section:
The importance of your suspension
Protecting your suspension
Conclusion
 

The importance of your suspension

Your car’s suspension protects other components of your car as well as yourself and your passengers by maximizing overall stability as you drive over bumps or a rough road. This means that your car’s suspension is what makes your ride smooth. The suspension system in a vehicle is made up of tires, the air pressure in the tires, springs, shock absorbers, struts, joints and more.

As we said, the suspension in your car will make any drive much more comfortable for you and your passengers and it will prevent unnecessary damage to your car due to jolts caused by bumps in the road. However, it will also allow the driver of the car to have much better handling and overall control over the car. That is a huge benefit for overall safety because a loss of control, even if momentary, could equal disaster when driving.
 

Protecting your suspension

You will want to protect your car’s suspension as best you can because the cost of replacing or even repairing a suspension can be quite high. If you need your car’s suspension repaired it can cost between $750 and $2,000 . If you need to replace your car’s entire suspension system, it will likely cost somewhere between $2,500 and $5,000 .

In order to take care of your car’s suspension system so that it lasts the longest and needs the fewest repairs you must:

• Get your tires aligned because if they are misaligned, they will cause more stress for your suspension system which could cause damage.
• Keep your tires properly inflated because if they are underinflated the ability to steer and handle the car will decrease which means your suspension will need to work harder and will wear out more quickly.
• Check the wear on your tires because the treads on your tires are what give your car traction and with less traction your suspension can be more easily damaged.
• Get your car inspected at least once a year because you will need to replace or repair any components of your vehicle’s suspension system that are worn or not functioning correctly.

Conclusion

Your car’s suspension system is very important because it allows for a smooth and safe ride, it will protect the other parts of the car and it allows for better handling. You can keep your suspension in good working order by getting your car inspected regularly, making sure that your tires are inflated with the correct pressure, replacing your tires if the treads have worn too much and getting your tires aligned. Whenever you need a car shipped to or from any of the islands of Hawaii, do not hesitate to call our Hawaiian car shipping experts at (808) 445-6695!

Jump to section:
The right of the way
Safety
Conclusion
 

The right of the way

There are many intersections throughout the islands of Hawaii that allow traffic to flow in four different directions. Fortunately, many of these intersections have traffic lights, so beyond slowing down at a yellow light and stopping at a red light, there really will not be much else for you to remember. However, four-way intersections in Hawaii get a lot more complicated when the traffic lights are not working or when there are stop signs instead of a traffic light.

In either of these situations, “the right of way” can play a very big role in everyone’s ability to safely travel through the intersection in an efficient manner. When you see that a traffic light is either off completely or just the yellow lights are blinking, you should treat this as if it were a four-way intersection with only stop signs.

That means all you need to know will be how to navigate a four-way intersection with stop signs in all directions using “the right of way.” This method basically stipulates that all drivers arriving at an intersection should continue forward only in the order in which they arrived at that intersection. However, in Hawaii, “the right of way” is a bit different than it is in other states.

The “right of way” in Hawaii stipulates the following when at a four-way intersection:

• If there are stop signs in only two directions, the directions without stop signs always have the right of way because they are not required to stop at all.
• If there are stop signs in all four directions, the drivers should only continue forward in the order that they arrived at the intersection. For example, if cars A, B, C, and D arrive in the following order (with the vehicle listed first having arrived at the intersection first), B-C-A-D, then car B gets to continue forward through the intersection first, car C has the right to go second and so on.
• If you happen to be in the rare circumstance where you and another car arrive at an intersection at the same exact time and are traveling in perpendicular directions, there is a simple solution. Hawaiian law stipulates that the driver to the left always yield the right of way to the driver on the right.

Safety

Safety will also be crucial when you travel through any four-way intersections, especially when it is an intersection where not all sides have stop signs. There are different safety measures to be taken at each different type of four-way intersection.

• Four-way intersections with traffic lights – These always tend to be the safest intersections. That is because right of way is always determined by the traffic lights rather than the combined will of everyone at the intersection. However, you still need to take basic precautions such as checking quickly in both directions prior to traveling through the intersection, maintaining a safe speed (even if that means “missing” the light), and watching for cars in the opposite lane of traffic that are making left-hand turns.
• Four-way intersections with stop signs in all directions – When you have stop signs in all four directions, it is safer than if there were just stop signs in two directions, but things can become unsafe quickly if just one driver chooses to ignore the right of way. When you arrive at a stop sign at one of these intersections, it is imperative that you:
  
  1. Make a complete stop at the stop sign which means the wheels of your car must stop turning completely and you must remain stopped long enough for you to check in all directions. Be sure that you remain stopped for at least three full seconds.
  2. Check in all directions to see if there are other drivers at the intersection. If there are and they arrived before you did or at the exact same time and are to your right, wait until they have continued forward and have cleared the intersection completely. You also must check to see if there are nearby pedestrians that are about to cross in front of your vehicle. Always allow pedestrians to proceed before you do.
  3. When you finally start to proceed through the intersection, stay focused and if another driver starts driving through the intersection before it was their turn, do not try to beat them through the intersection. Just let them go and continue on your way.
• Four-way intersections with stop signs in only two directions – These are the most dangerous four-way intersections by a long shot. This is because drivers in two directions of the four will not even have to slow down at all when proceeding through the intersection. This means when you arrive at a stop sign at a four-way intersection and that stop sign does not indicate that there are stop signs in all directions with the words “All Ways”, you must exercise the highest level of caution possible. You should make your complete stop at the stop sign and check in both directions as you normally do. If there are cars coming from the directions perpendicular without stop signs, be sure that they are far enough away for you to continue through the intersection prior to doing so.

Conclusion

Four-way intersections can be both aggressive and dangerous, especially in busy areas like Honolulu. However, exercising the most complete and utmost caution will end up yielding the best results. Not only can driving haphazardly or aggressively through a four-way intersection cause an accident but it can lead to road rage. All four-way intersections require extreme caution when you are travelling through them but some are more dangerous than others. Always check in both directions before proceeding, give the right of way to drivers that arrived at the intersection before you did, and always make complete stops when required by traffic lights or stop signs.

The short answer is: It depends on several variables which all change pretty frequently. It also depends on your specific needs and vehicle specifications as well.

We have provided some general prices from major cities below. However, we did use a specific car and shipping date. Odds are we didn’t choose the exact shipping details that you would.

So, if you really want to know the most accurate possible price estimate, get a free quote today.
 

What affects the cost of Hawaiian car shipping?

The cost of shipping your car to or from Hawaii is affected by several different factors. These variables change in scope frequently throughout the year which is why prices fluctuate as they do. For example, shipping one month might cost a hundred dollars more than shipping during the previous month even if you are shipping the same exact vehicle the same exact distance as you were the month before. That is because things like seasonality, fuel prices, and carrier availability will directly impact price.

These are the primary factors that affect the cost of car shipping to Hawaii:

• Season – The time of year that you ship your vehicle will directly affect price. If you ship during a busy season, your price will be higher such as during the summer. If you ship during a season like winter when there is more inclement weather then your shipment will likely cost less but will take longer to ship.
• Distance – Exactly how far you are shipping your car will help dictate your final cost as well. Simply put, the further you are shipping your car, the more it will cost.
• Fuel Prices – The price of gas will play a role in the cost of transporting your car. If gas prices are higher as they tend to be during the summer or during some sort of large fluctuation in the world oil market, then your cost to ship will likely be a little bit higher as a result.
• Shipping time – This is different from season. What we mean here is how soon after you book your shipment you need your car picked up for shipping. It is obviously a lot more difficult for car shipping companies to find a carrier last minute than it is to schedule a shipment a month or more in advance. In order to get a carrier to take a shipment booked with little notice, they require a higher payment. If you book your shipment as far in advanced as possible, it will help you save on the cost of shipping.
• Shipping method – If you ship a car from Hawaii with any extra options such as top-load or enclosed carrier, your cost will be higher depending on which options you chose.
• Type of car – The make and model of your car also play a part in your final cost. Larger cars weigh more and require more work to load and unload. They also cause the car carrier truck to burn fuel more rapidly in transit because of their additional weight. The bigger the vehicle the higher the cost.
• What port you are shipping to or from in Hawaii – There are several ports where you can ship your car to or from in Hawaii. They are:
  • Honolulu
  • Hilo
  • Kahului
  • Nawiliwili

Be sure you choose the right port in Hawaii to ship to if you are shipping your car there. There are almost no interisland ferries left in Hawaii. So, if you ship it to an island where you won’t be spending the majority of your time, you will likely need to get your car shipped, again, to the right island. You can read more about picking your car up at the port in Hawaii here.

The cost of shipping your car to Hawaii

Shipping your car to Hawaii will depend on the factors mentioned above but it will also depend on if you ship door-to-port or just port-to-port. Most people tend to opt to pay a bit more for the convince of door-to-port shipping. If you choose port-to-port, it will cost less because you are foregoing the entire ground transport. However, you will need to drive your car to the port yourself and that can be costly itself.

Methodology: These prices were generated using the Hawaii Car Transport Instant Quote Calculator in March 2024, scheduling four weeks ahead (for shipment in April 2024), with no upgraded shipping options, with the destination being the port at Honolulu and a 2018 Toyota Corolla as the vehicle shipping for each quote.

**Please keep in mind that these prices are always subject to change based on the many variables that were mentioned above.**

The cost of shipping a vehicle to Hawaii:

• From New York – $2,775
• From Los Angeles – $1,565
• From Denver – $2,255
• From Boston – $2,885
• From Chicago – $2,625
• From Dallas – $2,385
• From Miami – $2,655

The cost of shipping your car from Hawaii

Just as with shipping your car to Hawaii, the cost of shipping your car from Hawaii will be affected by the combination of factors mentioned earlier along with whether or not you choose to pick up your car at the port or have it delivered to your door.

Methodology: These prices were generated using the Hawaii Car Transport Instant Quote Calculator in March 2024, scheduling four weeks ahead (for shipment in April 2024), with no upgraded shipping options, with the origin drop-off location being the port at Honolulu and a 2018 Toyota Corolla as the vehicle shipping for each quote.

**Please remember that these prices could change without notice based on all of the variables that were mentioned in this post.**

The cost of shipping a vehicle from Hawaii:

• To New York – $2,635
• To Los Angeles – $1,115
• To Denver – $2,215
• To Boston – $2,695
• To Chicago – $2,425
• To Dallas – $2,295
• To Miami – $2,595

Be sure you still get a free quote

These prices are for a specific time and car. At best, they give you a very general idea of the overall cost of shipping a car to Hawaii. This is why auto transport companies will give you a free online quote. This way, all of your specific vehicle and shipment details will be factored into your quote price.

For example, if you are shipping a 2011 Dodge Durango from Raleigh, North Carolina, on an enclosed carrier an estimate for a 2024 Toyota Corolla shipping from Miami, Florida with no extras likely wouldn’t end up with too similar of a price. Thus, getting a free quote is the best way to get the most accurate price estimate for shipping to or from Hawaii.

Getting quotes from each vehicle shipping company is also a great way to quickly and easily comparison shop as well. Each company will likely have a similar yet slightly different price as well as delivery date. This way you can figure out which price and delivery date combination works best for you and choose that company.
 

How long will shipping my car to Hawaii take?

Shipping your car to Hawaii will take several weeks. Consider, that if you were shipping your car across the country from New York to Los Angeles, it would likely take a little less than two weeks. Then imagine, adding the time it takes to ship to Hawaii on top of that. Then, it would be easy to see why many vehicle shipments to Hawaii end up taking between two and three weeks depending on where you are shipping from.

We want you to be prepared to be without your car for the right amount of time. This way you can plan ahead and make whatever additional arrangements you need to.

Methodology: These transit times were generated using the Hawaii Car Transport Instant Quote Calculator in March 2024, scheduling four weeks ahead (for shipment in April 2024), with no upgraded shipping options, with the destination being the port at Honolulu and a 2018 Toyota Corolla as the vehicle shipping for each quote.

How long it takes to ship a car to Hawaii:

• From New York – 3-4 weeks
• From Los Angeles – 2 weeks
• From Denver – 3 weeks
• From Boston – 3-4 weeks
• From Chicago – 3 weeks
• From Dallas – 3 weeks
• From Miami – 3-4 weeks

Methodology: These transit times were generated using the Hawaii Car Transport Instant Quote Calculator in March 2024, scheduling four weeks ahead (for shipment in April 2024), with no upgraded shipping options, with the origin drop-off location being the port at Honolulu and a 2018 Toyota Corolla as the vehicle shipping for each quote.

How long it takes to ship a car from Hawaii:

• To New York – 2-3 weeks
• To Los Angeles – (delivered to LA port only) 10 days
• To Denver – 2 weeks
• To Boston – 3 weeks
• To Chicago – 2 weeks
• To Dallas – 2 weeks
• To Miami – 2-3 weeks

Steps to save on your Hawaiian car shipment

Here are some suggestions to help you minimize the cost of your Hawaiian car shipment. Remember, these are not money saving guarantees but suggestions that could help you save some money in the end.

1. Ship your car during the less busy seasons – It is normally less expensive to ship your car in the fall and winter. However, the transit time could be increased due to inclement weather delays during the winter. Your best bet might be to ship during the fall.
2. Schedule your pick-up at least a month in advanced – If you schedule your auto shipment as far in advanced as possible, you will maximize the chances that you can get a slightly lower price. Carriers tend to charge a bit more when they are given little notice about a shipment.
3. Ship with standard open-air transport – Ship your car using a standard open-air carrier without choosing top-load or expedited shipping. Any upgrade options that you choose will cost additional fees.
4. Don’t bother shipping anything in your car – Some car carriers out there will allow you to ship some personal items in your car for an additional fee. You should just forget this option for now. Plus, if any of those items gets lost or damaged, your car shipping coverage will not cover their cost as previously mentioned.

Tips for shipping your car to and from Hawaii

When you are shipping your car to or from Hawaii for the first time, you should be aware of a few things before you book your shipment so that the experience of transporting your vehicle can go as smoothly as possible.

Here are a few tips for shipping your car to or from Hawaii:

• Have your fuel tank a quarter filled – It is against fire regulations for a ship to transport vehicles with more than a quarter tank of gas. Your car will not be able to be shipped to Hawaii if your car has more than a quarter tank. However, you do need that much gas in order for the carrier to be able to drive the car onto and off of the ship as well as onto and off of the truck if you chose residential pick-up.
• Don’t leave any personal items in the car – Any coverage associated with your shipment will never cover any personal items lost or damaged during shipping. So, be sure that you take any personal items such as jewelry, CDs, glasses etc out of your car before you ship it to or from Hawaii.
• Get your car cleaned – Before your car is picked up or as soon as you drop it off at the port, your car will be inspected for any pre-existing damage. Make sure that the car is clean so that this process does not end up taking a ridiculous amount of time.
• Make sure the car works correctly – What this means is that if there is anything that isn’t in working order, get it fixed before your shipment. If it is something such as a car alarm that is overly sensitive, disconnect it or give the driver that picks up your car specific instructions on how to disable it.

Conclusion

As you can see, it is hard to accurately predict what pricing might be for shipping a car to Hawaii in general. It is much easier to visit a particular auto transport company’s website and get a free quote. When you do that, all of your specific shipment details are factored into the price estimation. However, keep in mind that even quotes can be off by a few dollars themselves.

The best way to save on your shipment is to plan as far in advanced as possible. This will likely also help decrease the total amount of transit time during your shipment slightly.

Get quotes from each company that you might be considering using. Use them to compare both price and transit time. Then make the best choice for your individual auto transport needs.

Jump to Section:
The most commonly given traffic and parking tickets
The best ways to avoid getting tickets in Hawaii
Conclusion
 

The most commonly given traffic and parking tickets

There are certain traffic tickets that the police give out much more easily than others. This might be because their ability to give leniency is limited for a particular offense, because it is an aggressive offense that almost always poses a danger to drivers around them or for another reason. Regardless, it will be very beneficial to ensure that you do not do something that results in you being pulled over for one of these offenses because your chances of getting a ticket are as high as they can get.

The most frequently given out traffic tickets in the United States are:

• Speeding – Speeding is the most common traffic ticket given out in the US. About forty million drivers receive speeding tickets each year in the US. These tickets are easy for the police to give out because you really stand out from the rest of traffic. However, it is also an easy ticket to give out because their radar records the speed that they catch you going these days. Thus, there is basically no room for argument either during the traffic stop or in court.
• Illegal turn/maneuver – Making an illegal maneuver such as a U-turn where it is forbidden by law and the accompanying signage is another way to stand out in the worst way to the police. These are also very clear-cut cases with very little room for interpretation.
• Tailgating – “Following too closely” behind another car, otherwise known as tailgating, can quickly land you with a ticket. Often, police sit on the side of the road with their car facing perpendicular to traffic. Thus, they will be able to very clearly see if you are driving too closely behind another car.
• Reckless driving – Reckless driving is often the combination of several of the violations listed above and/or other traffic violations. Speeding in and out of different lanes without signaling and simultaneously tailgating other cars is a prime example of reckless driving. A police officer will be able to spot you doing this a literal mile or more away.

There are also parking tickets that are given out more frequently than others in the United States.

• No parking – This seems beyond obvious as the top spot. However, the majority of these tickets being issued is due to people parking in areas on the street where and when street cleaning is taking place. Others might have just missed a sign.
• No standing – This ticket is issued when someone keeps their car running in a “No standing” zone. Most times this is done by someone who is “just running in somewhere for a second.” Understand that even if you put your hazards on, this is a very easy ticket to get.
• No meter receipt on display/expired meter – Most of these tickets are given because people forget to display their meter receipt on their dashboard or they do so in a way where the parking enforcement officer cannot read it. On more rare occasions, these tickets are given out because someone flat out did not feed a meter.

The best ways to avoid getting tickets in Hawaii

The obvious way to avoid getting traffic or parking tickets in Hawaii will be to drive defensively and with caution at all times as well as to be extremely mindful of your surroundings and nearby signs/street markings when you park. However, there are a few other things that you will be able to do in order to minimize your chances of getting a ticket.

You can choose to drive a car that stands out much less. For example, driving a darker colored car such as black or dark blue will help you stand out to police less than if you drove a white or yellow car. White cars are the most ticketed vehicles on the road. However, white cars are also the most numerous cars on the road. So, it could just be correlation and not causation. You can also pay closer attention to where the police could be parked. So, if you were driving on a road that has a large building on the side that you cannot see past, you should always assume that there could be a police officer steaked out there trying to catch people speeding or committing other traffic infractions.

You can also use an app like Waze as you drive (as long as you do so hands free) to see where police might be located up ahead. The information on Waze regarding traffic and police presence is crowd-sourced and updated instantly as other drivers around you report something, so you can trust the information. Fortunately, Hawaii does not currently use any automated traffic enforcement such as speed or red-light cameras, thus you will not need to worry about that.
 

Conclusion

Even though Hawaii is not known for draconian traffic enforcement, getting a ticket there can be as easy as it is anywhere else. The easiest way to avoid getting a ticket will always be to obey all traffic laws and to drive defensively. If you do not, you can easily be pulled over for things like speeding, illegal maneuvering and reckless driving. You can also easily get a parking ticket in Hawaii if you do not pay close attention to street markings and nearby signs when you initially park .

Jump to section:
Parking in the wrong place
Unpaid tickets or debt
What happens after my car gets towed in Hawaii?
Conclusion
 

Parking in the wrong place

Paying attention when you park somewhere can be the difference between parking without issue or having your car towed. A simple look around for signs, street markings and things like driveways and fire hydrants can save you the huge inconvenience and costly headache of having your vehicle towed.

There are several different situations in which you can have your vehicle towed away for parking in the wrong place in Hawaii. Parking in the following areas can result in the towing of your car:

• Blocking a driveway or a fire hydrant – If someone cannot access their private driveway because your car is parked in a way that is completely or even partially blocking it, you can easily be towed. You can also be towed if you are parked in a way that restricts access of a fire department to a fire hydrant.
• No parking zones – No parking zones will include bus stops, handicapped spots and fire lanes.
• Private lots – If you park in a private parking lot, the owner has the right to call the police to have your car towed.
• Illegally parked – This includes situations such as if you park on the street during street cleaning or if you double park.

Unpaid tickets or debt

Your vehicle can also be towed if you have several unpaid parking tickets. Parking enforcement often drives around scanning license plates of parked cars in busy city areas. If your license plate alerts parking enforcement that you have enough unpaid tickets, your car could be towed and will not be released until you go and pay those tickets off and then you will need to go to the tow yard and pay their fees.

If you financed your car and you fell behind on your car payments your car can be repossessed. This will happen by your car being towed. Without any warning a tow truck driver will arrive when you least expect it and will quickly hook-up your car and then tow it away. They can tow it from any public place and they can also tow it from your own driveway if it is not behind a gate and is easily accessible.
 

What happens after my car gets towed in Hawaii?

If your car has been towed, what will come next will depend entirely on the specific circumstance of your vehicle’s towing. If your car was towed because you were parked somewhere such as blocking a driveway or in a private parking lot, you will likely just need to figure out where your car has been towed to, then go there and pay the fees for the hook-up and storage of your car.

In order to figure out where your car has been towed to in Hawaii you should:

1. Check the area that your car was towed from for signs. Often a private lot will have at least one sign posted with a phone number and address for the towing company.
2. If there are no signs, you should call the Hawaii Police Department. They will be able to confirm that your car was towed as well as where you can go to retrieve it.
3. Alternatively, you can check online to see if your car was towed on a site like findmytow.com, however, it usually takes several hours or even days for your towed vehicle’s information to populate on one of these sites, so we do not recommend using this method.

If your car was towed due to unpaid parking tickets, you will need to pay the tickets before you can visit the tow yard, and then you will need to go to the tow yard, pay their fees and then get your car back. To pay parking tickets in Hawaii you can:

• Pay at any Hawaiian district court – You can go to any Hawaiian district court and pay the applicable fines with a check, money order or credit/debit card.
• Pay by mail – Your fine should include an address which is where you will need to mail your payment. You can pay by check or money order if you are paying your Hawaiian traffic fines by mail.
• Pay over the phone – You can also pay over the phone by calling (800) 679-5949. Paying the fines via this method will require you have your license plate number, citation number and a Mastercard or Visa credit card only.
• Pay online – The easiest option will be to pay online which you can do within 21 days of getting the ticket. You can pay a parking ticket in Hawaii by visitinghttps://etraffic.ehawaii.gov/etraffic/home. You must have the citation number and a Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit card only in order to use this method.

Finally, if your car was towed because of a repossession, you will only be able to get your car back if you pay the entire loan that you took out in order to finance the car, not just the missed payments. You will likely only have about ten days to do this as well.
 

Conclusion

If you do not want to have your vehicle towed in Hawaii there are a few simple things that you must avoid doing. This includes parking somewhere illegally, parking in a private lot or driveway, failing to pay parking tickets, and not paying your car payments. If your car does get towed, it will likely cost you a few hundred dollars but thankfully it will not be too complicated tracking your car down and getting it back. You should avoid doing anything that could get your car towed in Hawaii because of both the cost and inconvenience.

Jump to section:
Proper technique
Safety
Conclusion
 

Proper technique

Pumping gas correctly is second nature for those of us that have done it over and over for years. However, there are still those of us out there who have limited experience for a variety of reasons including just beginning to drive, someone else uses the car and usually pumps the gas or you had previously only driven fully electric vehicles. Regardless of the reason, you should ensure that you are using the correct technique at the gas pump in order not to waste time or to avoid putting yourself in harm’s way.
 

Put your car in the right position

 
The first thing that you need to do when you pull into the gas station is to pull your car into the correct position next to the pump in order to make pumping the gas as easy and quick as possible. This begins with knowing which side your gas tank is on. It will not always be on your driver or passenger side; it will simply depend on the specific type of vehicle that you are driving. So, if your gas tank is on the right side of your car make sure you pull the right side of your car next to the gas pump and vice versa if your gas tank is on the left side of your car.

You also want to ensure that you pull your car even with the position of the gas nozzle. The gas nozzle that dispenses regular gas (which the vast majority of you will use) will always be on the left-hand side of the pump, the right-hand side of the pump will have another nozzle which will dispense all other grades of gasoline including premium, super and diesel. Make sure that your gas tank aligns or is close to aligning with the gas nozzle that you will be using. If you do not pull forward enough or pull too far forward, there may not be enough slack in the nozzle’s gas line for you to safely reach the nozzle to your gas tank.
 

Pay and open your gas tank

 
Once you have pulled up and into the correct position near the gas pump, you will exit your car. The first thing that you will do after getting out of your car is to pay for your gas. If you are paying with a credit or debit card, you can easily pay at the pump. If you are paying with cash, you will need to walk into the main-store part of the gas station and pay the attendant. At this point, you will have to open your gas tank.

Again, what you will need to do in order to accomplish this will depend heavily on the specific type of car that you are driving. In many cases, there will be a latch or button in the cabin of your vehicle on the driver side often located near the floor. It will have either the word “gas” on it or a gas pump logo. When you find this pull it and your gas tank will open. At this point you will still need to unscrew your gas cap which should be self-explanatory. If you have difficulty with any of this, be sure to consult your car’s owner’s manual.
 

Choose the grade of gas and pump

 
As soon as you pay you will need to then select the grade of fuel that your car requires. These days, you will typically do this yourself at the pump regardless of your payment method. You will simply just select regular, premium, super or diesel based upon your car’s engine needs. Once you do that, it will take a moment for the gas pump to process your selection and then you will be ready to pump your gas.

In order to correctly pump your gas, you will need to remove the corresponding fuel nozzle from its holder on the pump. You will then place the nozzle into your gas tank and depress the handle attached to the nozzle. You can either keep your hand in this position, or you can choose to flip up the tab which is located on almost all fuel pumps. If you flip this tab up, it will hold the handle in the pushed-in position that will continue to dispense gasoline without the use of your hand.
 

Safety

Safety is always going to be a very important part of pumping gas. This should not come as any surprise since gasoline is so flammable and potentially dangerous. The most important things that you will have to be sure to do when you are pumping gas are to:

• Turn your car’s engine off – Your car’s engine needs to be shut off completely when you are pumping gas because it poses a fire hazard by remaining running.
• Do not smoke – It goes without saying but a cigarette or an ash or ember from a cigarette can ignite gasoline quite easily. Never smoke while you are pumping gas or even immediately after you pumped gas until you have washed your hands.
• Ground yourself and your clothing from static electricity – You will also need to ground your body and your clothing from static electricity when you are pumping gas. A static charge is unfortunately extremely easy to generate after you have been sitting in your vehicle and has ignited gasoline in the past. This can lead to an extremely dangerous situation or even an explosion. You can ground yourself by touching any metal such as your vehicle’s door with your bare hand.

However, you also need to be aware of potential scams and thievery at the gas pump. The first thing to look out for is a credit card skimmer if you are paying at the pump. A credit card skimmer is a device that will steal your credit card’s information and provide it to people who will use it to make purchases with that information. Credit card skimmers are made to look exactly the same as the gas pump’s credit card payment terminal. So, you will not be able to tell by just looking. What you can do is firmly grasp the part of the terminal where you insert your card and see if you can move it at all. If you cannot then you can proceed, if you can then move to another pump or pay cash.

Thieves have also been known to recently switch the nozzle of the gas pump from one side to the other in order to steal the gas that you are pumping on your side. This is hard for people to detect because they will see the gas pumping on the screen of the pump as they attempt to pump it, but little do they know the person on the other side of the pump is actually receiving the gas that they paid for. In order to check for this, take a look up when you are at the gas pump, you will see the fuel line connection. Ensure that the fuel line connection closest to you is connected to the nozzle that you will be using.
 

Conclusion

Pumping gas is something that becomes second nature once you have done it a few times and have the hang of it. You just have to ensure that you put your car in the correct position at the pump, you know which side of your car that your gas tank is on, how to open your gas tank & cap, how to pump gas and how to spot a potential scam. You also must also always practice safety at the gas pump. This includes shutting off your engine, not smoking and grounding yourself from electricity.

Jump to section:
Safety
Why head-out parking sometimes is not allowed
Conclusion
 

 

Safety

Often, you will be able to decide in Hawaii whether you want to back into a parking space or if you want to pull straight in. When you pull straight in, otherwise known as “head-in parking,” the advantages are that you will be able to quickly pull right in and it will be very easy to park accurately. The main drawback is that whenever you will have to pull out, you will have to do so more slowly and carefully due to the limited range of vision that you will have. Because of this you will also be much more susceptible to getting into an accident.

That is why it is much safer to back into a parking space whenever it is legal/permitted. When you back into the spot it will be easy for other oncoming vehicles to see you because you will already have your entire vehicle right in the clear line of vision directly in front of them. However, when you are pulling out, other drivers will not initially see your car if there is a car parked next to you. Even once you start pulling out, they may only be able to see a very small portion of your car. Thus, they will have less time with which to react which makes pulling out of your space much more dangerous than initially pulling in.

So, when you are pulling out, it will provide a huge advantage for you to be able to have a maximum amount of visibility. It is also much easier to react when you are in drive versus when you are in reverse. Maximizing your safety when you pull out of a parking space is important because one in every five car accidents occur in a parking lot according to CBS News. So, no matter how you park, pulling out of a space can be dangerous but pulling head-out of a spot is the safest option.
 

Why head out parking is sometimes not allowed

Occasionally, you will see signs in a parking lot that say “Head-in parking only.” In most of these cases the spaces in the lot are angled and the traffic that will be driving behind you will only be allowed to drive one-way. This combination will increase your field of vision when you back out of your space, and it will simultaneously allow the vehicles driving behind you a much better chance at seeing you back out. Regardless of there being angled spaces and/or one way traffic, if there are signs that forbid head-out parking, do not disregard them and do so anyway as you could end up with a ticket or possibly even being towed depending on the situation.

Your field of vision would still be better if you were allowed to park head-out in these situations. However, if you were to park head-out in angled spaces, it will become extremely difficult to pull out without contacting or coming very close to coming into contact with one of the cars parked next to you. The other issue would be the process of backing into an angled space. It would take much more time overall which would lead to more overall congestion in that parking lot. It would also require that you essentially have your car pointed the wrong way on a one-way street for at least a few moments which is a safety issue. Finally, you would need much more space in order to successfully back into an angled parking spot which you typically would not have.
 

Conclusion

Whenever you can, you should back into a parking space rather than pulling head-in. Doing so will allow you to pull out with a full field of vision as well as being able to pull out forward rather than in reverse which really helps your ability to react to a would-be passing car. Unfortunately, some parking lots do not allow head-out parking, which is usually because the spaces are angled, and the path of driving is one-way only which would make both backing into a space as well as pulling head-out both unsafe and difficult.