Recent Hawaii Shipping News

Jump to section:
Driving safely near other cars
Driving safely near pedestrians
Conclusion
 

Driving safely near other cars

It is crucial when you drive through any neighborhood in Hawaii that you do so safely because of the ever-present possibility of someone pulling or backing out of their driveway or garage. There will also be intersections with stop signs rather than traffic lights where how long drivers stop and who has the “right of way” can tend to seem much like more of an opinion-based issue.

Driving safely through a Hawaiian neighborhood will always start with driving slowly and obeying the speed limits. Typically, these speed limits will be around twenty-five to thirty-five miles per hour. You will also need to ensure that you always drive with complete focus on the road. Keep your cell phone off or at least away where there is no chance of a call or text message possibly distracting you.

If you reach a stop sign, come to a complete stop, then check for other cars driving through that intersection. If someone else arrived at another stop sign at the same intersection at a time close to when you did, let them go first and/or wave them on. If you see someone ahead of you pulling out of their driveway, stop and let them safely pull onto the road in front of you.
 

Driving safely near pedestrians

An even bigger reason to drive slowly and safely through neighborhood areas is the potential for pedestrians being in or crossing the road. Specifically, there could be children playing in the street, people crossing the road, bike riders on the side of the road and much more. To put it simply, if you do not drive safely through a neighborhood, there is potential for extreme disaster and tragedy.

As was mentioned earlier, always drive at or under the speed limit and never drive distracted through a neighborhood. Driving too fast and/or distracted can prevent you from stopping in time if a pedestrian pops out into the street. In particular, children are notorious for running out into the street. If you ever see a ball roll out into the street, come to a stop, and wait because a child will inevitably be close behind chasing it. If you end up driving behind a school bus, never drive around it if it has stopped to pick children up or let them off. Finally, if someone is walking, running, or biking on the side of the road, be sure when you drive by there is several feet of clearance between you and that person.
 

Conclusion

When you drive through a residential area in Hawaii, the most important part will be to do so safely which will consist of driving slow and with complete focus. There are so many things to be on the lookout for such as children in the street, bike riders, people pulling out of their driveways and much more. Always make complete stops at stop signs, never speed, never drive around a stopped school bus, and always keep complete attention on the road at all times.

Jump to section:
How to pass safely
How to pass legally
Conclusion
 

How to pass safely

If you want to pass someone who is driving too far under the speed limit, you can do so but you must always do so carefully and safely. If you do so haphazardly, you could end up in a head-on collision which can easily total your car and cost you and/or another driver their life. Passing someone safely will begin with only passing them in areas with more than one lane on your side of traffic or in an area where there is just one lane on your side of traffic but there is a clear view of oncoming traffic.

Once you have determined you have a clear view and that passing the driver in front of you will not be impeded by another nearby motorist, turn on your left blinker and you can begin to pass. Once you start to move over, simultaneously start to accelerate. Once you pass the vehicle ahead of you, turn your right blinker on. Once you can see both headlights of the vehicle that you just passed in your rearview mirror, you can merge back into your original lane.
 

How to pass legally

Passing safely is one thing but passing legally will include a few more things you will need to do and look out for. Just because you pass someone successfully and in a safe manner does not mean you will not receive a ticket. The most important part of passing someone legally will be to pay attention to road signage as well as road markings prior to attempting to pass anyone.

Before you try to pass someone safely, be absolutely sure that you check around for signs that will say “No Passing Zone” or “don Not Pass”. Typically, they will be orange or yellow and in the shape of a right-pointing pennant. However, the sign could also be rectangular and could also be white in color. Obviously, in areas with these signs, you cannot legally pass someone.

You also must be on the lookout for solid lines in situations where you are trying to pass by entering the oncoming lane of traffic for a brief period. If the line is solid on your side of the road, you may not pass there. If the line is single dotted, double dotted or dotted on your side and solid on the other, you may legally pass so long as it is safe to do so.
 

Conclusion

You should only ever pass someone when it is absolutely necessary and not when you just prefer to make better time. When you do pass someone on the highway in Hawaii, always do so both safely as well as legally. Always watch for oncoming traffic, use your blinkers and never cross a solid line to pass someone.

Jump to section:
Driving safely in the rain
Conclusion
 

Driving safely in the rain

Depending which island you are on and where on that particular island is in Hawaii, there could be any amount of rain each year ranging from very little to a lot. Regardless, you will end up driving on wet rain covered roads at least a few times a year in Hawaii. When you are driving on wet roads, you will be at increased risk for an accident due to the decrease in traction and resulting lessened ability to come to a timely stop. That is exactly why you will want to ensure that you are as safe as possible when you drive in the rain.

Staying safe while you drive in the rain in Hawaii will start with making sure that your windshield is clean at all times and that your windshield defogger is always functional. Both of these will make a big impact when it comes to being able to see most clearly when you are driving in the rain. In particular, in Hawaii, it will likely be very humid when it rains, thus your windshield defoggers will almost always be needed for at least a little bit. When you are driving in rainy conditions you also should always drive considerably slower than you usually do and give yourself more space between you and the vehicle in front of you at all times. As we already mentioned wet and slick roads will mean it will take more time and distance to reach a complete stop, so make sure that you slow down and remain distant at all times.

Staying visible will also be very important when you are driving through the rain in Hawaii. This will really just come down to making sure that your head lights and taillights are always in working order as well as that your headlights are always on when driving in the rain. Some of you may drive cars that have “daylight running” headlights in addition to your regular headlights and high beams, your daylight running lights will not suffice in the rain so make sure you turn on your normal headlights. As far as your own visibility, be sure that you always have your windshield wipers on and turned to the appropriate speed.

Never drive through water that looks like it could be more than a couple of inches deep as doing so can possibly cause your engine to stall and can leave you stranded in a dangerous position. Finally, avoid driving in more severe rainy conditions if at all possible. Severe rainstorms will not last too long and waiting it out will be a much safer overall option.
 

Conclusion

When you drive in the rain in Hawaii, the roads will be slick, and it will be more difficult for you to come to a complete stop. Visibility will also be more difficult for you and everyone else out on the road. That is why you must make sure that you are doing everything possible to remain safe. That will include driving slow, giving any vehicle in front of your additional space, always keeping your headlights and windshield wipers on, avoiding driving through deep water accumulations and more.

Jump to section:
Driving safe
Staying safe from unsafe drivers
Conclusion
 

Driving safe

Driving on the highway tends to carry the biggest risk because of both the increased amount of traffic and because the speed limits are the highest you will find. This can be a dangerous combination. Almost sixty percent of car accident fatalities occur on highways according to National Highway and Traffic Safety Association.

This is exactly why you need to step up your safe driving habits when you are driving on any highway in Hawaii. In Hawaii the speed limit on Highways is usually sixty miles per hour which is fairly low compared to other states where the limit can be as high as eighty-five. However, make sure that you do not exceed this limit. In fact, only drive this speed in the left most lane. In other lanes on the highway, try to drive a bit under that limit.

You will also want to make sure that you never tailgate any driver that is front of you when you are on the highway driving at high speeds. The faster you drive, the more distance it will take you to reach a complete stop. If you drive too close to the driver in front of you and they stop suddenly, you will not be able to stop before you hit them and because you are driving behind them, you will be at fault for the crash.

You also need to be ready to share these highways with larger trucks. That will include making sure you are always visible to them, so they do not unwittingly make contact with your car or run you off the road when they are changing lanes. So, do not merge into the same lane as a truck too closely in front of them and make sure you are always in view of their mirrors and never in their blind spot if you are driving to either side of them. If you see their signal go on, slow down and let them safely merge in front of you.
 

Staying safe from unsafe drivers

No matter how safely you drive on any of the highways in Hawaii, there will likely always be one or two other drivers who are driving unsafely and aggressively. You should always let these drivers pass you. If they are tailgating you, change into the lane to the right of you to let them pass. If they are aggressively trying to squeeze into the space between you and the vehicle in front of them, slow down, give them space and let them in. If someone is really driving unsafely, you will always have the option of pulling over and calling the police. Do your best to get either their license plate number and/or the make and model of the vehicle.
 

Conclusion

Highway driving has the highest potential for danger. This is why you need to go above and beyond when you are out driving on the highways of Hawaii. Always obey the speed limit, never drive aggressively, do not tailgate, stay visible and stay focused at all times. If you notice another motorist driving unsafely and/or aggressively, do your best to stay away from them and let them pass you by.

Jump to section:
Financial benefits
Environmental benefits
Conclusion
 

Financial benefits

Electric vehicles are the future of driving. There is no denying that now with all of the legislative initiatives across the country and the world. Hawaii is no exception. Fortunately, there are numerous benefits to this and the best one will be the financial benefits that every driver will see.

Just look at the cost of gas in 2022, by driving an electric car you will be able to constantly circumvent the seemingly endless rise in the cost of gas. The average annual recharge cost for an electric vehicle is slightly less than half of the annual cost of gas in America. That comes out to savings between seven hundred and a thousand dollars per year.

There will also be lower maintenance costs for an electric vehicle. Electric cars only use one a single part engine (the electric motor) thus upkeep is much less frequent and less can go wrong. By comparison, gas powered cars’ engines are made of hundreds of parts and require much more routine maintenance. The savings in maintenance costs could be over a thousand dollars per year.

Finally, there are other smaller financial incentives that come with driving an electric car. These include free parking and charging in certain parking lots, being exempt from fuel-emission tests during inspection, possible purchase rebates and more. The one financial downside to electric cars is their overall cost at purchase. They average about a twenty percent higher price than gas powered cars. However, that price is expected to drop in coming years as the market becomes saturated with electric cars.
 

Environmental benefits

By driving an electric car, you will also be doing a lot to help the environment and reduce harmful emissions to the earth’s atmosphere. Specifically, a true electric vehicle will produce only half of the greenhouse gasses that a traditional gas-powered vehicle will. An electric car will also produce more than a third less carbon dioxide related emissions than gas powered cars will. Completely electric cars will not even have a tail pipe which will result in zero carbon dioxide emissions. These benefits can also help to lower overall rising global temperatures.
 

Conclusion

Driving an electric car will have numerous benefits in Hawaii and anywhere else in the country. It will potentially save you thousands of dollars each year on gas costs and maintenance costs as well as having several other considerable financial benefits. Driving an electric vehicle will also allow you to do your part for the environment by limiting harmful greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions. If you need an electric car shipped to or from Hawaii, call the Hawaiian car shipping professionals at (808) 445-6695.

Jump to section:
The importance of your headlights
Drive extra safely
Conclusion
 

The importance of your headlights

There are several tunnels that you might find yourself driving through in Hawaii such as the Tetsuo Harano Tunnels or the Nuʻuanu Pali Tunnels. It is very important that you do everything that you can to drive through these tunnels as safely as possible because tunnels are very enclosed spaces and, as a result, there is a greater risk of an accident.

The tunnels in Hawaii are usually well lit in most cases but you will still need to make use of your headlights, even in the middle of a bright day, to ensure your safety and the safety of those driving around you. Most importantly, make sure that you turn your headlights on as you approach a tunnel rather than after you enter it. The reason for this is that it will take your eyes a moment or two to adjust to the change in light once you enter the tunnel and if you do not have your headlights on as you enter the tunnel, you will be delaying this from happening. Also, if the tunnel is two-ways, a driver on the other side, driving opposite of you, might not see you right away which could spell disaster.
 

Drive extra safely

Driving safely through a tunnel in Hawaii will go beyond just turning your headlights on. You should also keep a safe distance from the car driving in front of you. This seems obvious as it just a general rule of safe driving anywhere, but it is even more important in a tunnel as you will likely not have anywhere to veer off to the side if there is a sudden slow down or stop in front of you. In tunnels, keep an extra car length of distance than you normally do just to be extra safe. When you approach and enter a tunnel, reduce your speed and remove sunglasses if you are wearing them.

Finally, be prepared and know what to do in case you do get into an accident in a tunnel. If you do get into an accident or have car trouble in a tunnel, pull over as far to the right as possible, put your hazard lights on, turn your engine off and call emergency services immediately.
 

Conclusion

Driving through the tunnels in Hawaii will be slightly riskier driving because of the much tighter space as well as less light which has the potential for visibility issues. You should always slow down, keep more space between you and the driver in front of you, and turn your headlights prior to entering the tunnel. If you do breakdown and get into or get into an accident, pull over as far as you can, turn your hazard lights on and call emergency services right away.

Jump to section:
How to avoid getting a ticket at a redlight camera
What is the penalty if you do go get caught at a red light camera
Conclusion
 

How to avoid getting a ticket at a redlight camera

Redlight cameras might seem unfair to some, but they help keep the roads safer and decrease serious accidents at intersections. Often, when someone gets into an accident because they ran a red light, it results in a T-bone accident which is one of the most dangerous types of accidents for the passengers of the car being hit from the side. The point is that these accidents often result in serious injury or possibly even fatalities.

You should always strive to be as safe as possible when it comes to red lights. However, the possibility of a red light ticket adds an extra wrinkle to the equation. In order to avoid getting a redlight ticket you should always come to a complete and full stop slightly before the line or cross walk. You should also start to slow down and stop (not slam on your brakes or stop short) when you see the light change from green to yellow. Finally, never turn right on red.
 

What is the penalty if you do get caught at a red light camera

If you do happen to receive a red light ticket in Hawaii, you are likely wondering what the overall cost will be to you. Well, you will not get the ticket until a few weeks or even months after the violation. It will take the state time to process these infractions as well as to review them.

Once you do get the ticket, it will likely cost you approximately about two hundred dollars for your first offense. After that the fine will increase to three hundred and then five hundred dollars for subsequent offenses. With multiple offenses, you might also be required to take a driving course. Your insurance premiums could possibly also be increased, especially as a result of multiple offenses. The one positive to getting a red light camera ticket in Hawaii will be that it will be easy to pay and you will not be required to come to court, at least not for the first offense. You will have the option of both pleading guilty and paying by mail or online.
 

Conclusion

Red light cameras are fairly new to Hawaii and something you definitely need to be on the lookout for especially at the state’s biggest and busiest intersections in areas such as Honolulu. These cameras will make intersections safer by discouraging motorists from trying to “beat” changing lights. However, the tickets will be quite costly. Always do the right thing, slow down and start stopping at yellow lights, do not turn right on red and stop before the painted line and/or crosswalk.

Jump to section:
Which cars qualify for compact spots?
Where will I find compact spots
Conclusion
 

Which cars qualify for compact spots?

Compact parking spaces help businesses create extra parking spots in their lots. Think of it this way, if every spot was large enough to accommodate every vehicle up to and including the largest ones, space would be lost for every spot where a small vehicle parked. When compact spots are added to the equation, cars will park according to their size. When you create enough compact spaces, the extra space saved adds up. As a result, a business can squeeze out a few extra spots in their lots.

Typically, compact spots are about eight feet in width whereas regular parking spots are about 9 feet in width. In order to be considered small enough to use a compact space, a vehicle must have enough room on both sides for the doors to open without contacting the cars on either side of you. In most cases, use common sense when it comes to your car and compact spots. If you drive a truck or SUV, your vehicle will never be “compact”. If you drive a Prius, your car is smaller than most vehicles on the road, so it is compact. If you park in a compact spot with a non-compact car, you can get a ticket which can run between twenty-five and a hundred dollars depending on where you are.
 

Where will I find compact spots

Compact parking spaces are usually located at the front of regular parking lots near handicapped and electric vehicle charging spaces. In parking garages, you can likely find them on the lowest or any level. Regardless of where exactly they are, they will be clearly marked with signage and or the painted word “COMPACT”. If you cannot find them, you can always ask someone who works in the particular business that you are parking at and ask them. Keep in mind, not all parking lots will have compact parking spaces. You can also use certain parking apps and set a filter for compact parking to help you find compact spaces.
 

Conclusion

Compact parking spaces help businesses maximize the amount of parking available in their lots as well as to decrease overall congestion in the lots during busier times of the day. These spots are typically ten to fifteen percent smaller than a regular parking spot. So, if you do not have a compact car or are unsure that your car could qualify to park in one of these spaces, move on because you could end up with a costly ticket just as you would if you parked in a spot for handicapped persons.

Jump to section:
Where you park makes a difference
How you drive makes a difference
Conclusion
 

Where you park makes a difference

If you care about your car’s appearance as well as its value, you should do everything in your power to avoid getting any scratches on it. Unfortunately, scratches are sometimes unavoidable but, for the most part, you can make a difference with some effort. This effort begins with where you choose to park your car.

As an obvious and general rule, always avoid parking too close to someone else, especially next to them in a parking lot. This will result in a longer walk to your destination, but you will be avoiding a scratch from someone opening their door into your car. You may even want to consider parking several spaces away from any other cars for even more assurance that someone will not scratch your car with their own vehicle or cart.

As far as on-street parking, always be sure that there is at least five feet between you and the car in front of you as well as the vehicle behind you (if possible). This might mean taking more time to find another spot but, again, you are not leaving your car’s appearance in someone else’s hands when you do this. Finally, try not to park under trees or near large bushes. The wind or animals can cause branches to move or break off which can come into contact with your car and leave a scratch.
 

How you drive makes a difference

Safe and cautious driving will also make a difference in terms of scratch prevention. This means not driving and maneuvering too closely to other vehicles and/or obstacles. However, defensive driving will take this a step further. If you see someone driving too close or driving unsafely, do your best to stay clear of them by changing lanes or pulling over. In terms of staying clear of obstacles, be mindful to never to drive too closely to a divider, the sidewalk as well as trees and bushes. By driving too closely to these things, it is extremely easy to scratch your car without even realizing it.
 

Conclusion

No one wants to get a scratch on their car. Larger, more severe scratches can cost over a hundred dollars to get repaired. Scratches hurt the appearance and overall value of your vehicle. That is why prevention can make a huge difference. Do your best to park a decent distance away from other vehicles in parking lots, give yourself space between cars when parking on the street, never drive too closely to other cars or obstacles and try not to park near things like trees and bushes.

Jump to section:
Checking for other cars and pedestrians
Backing out safely
Conclusion
 

Checking for other cars and pedestrians

When you are parked in a space in a parking lot with cars parked on both sides of you and in front of you, backing out of the spot can be pretty tricky as well as potentially dangerous. You are at risk of hitting a car or pedestrian that is passing behind you. Obviously, that is something that you will want to avoid at all costs.

In order to be sure that there are no pedestrians or cars behind you before you start backing out, you should start by checking over both of your shoulders for cars and pedestrians that are directly behind you as well as for those that might be approaching from either side. If there are no cars or pedestrians coming, you can then put your car into reverse.

While you are backing out, keep checking over the shoulder that corresponds to the direction that oncoming cars closest to you might be coming. This will almost always be your right shoulder. Once you are backed out enough that you can see through your driver side and passenger windows, stop and take a quick look through each. After that, complete backing out while still checking over your shoulder. Only look forward once you have shifted your car into drive.
 

Backing out safely

When you are backing out of a parking spot, always do so slowly, cautiously and incrementally in case you need to stop quickly to avoid a collision. Other than that, backing out of a parking spot safely hinges mostly on properly checking behind you before and during the process. However, you should also check under, behind and on the sides of your car before you even get in for children, shopping carts and other potential hazards. You might not be able to see those things by simply checking over your shoulder due to their close proximity to your vehicle as well as their short height.

If you have a backup camera, make use of it before you backup. Do not use a backup camera instead of checking over your shoulders though. A backup camera will only show you directly behind you and will not give you a peripheral view of any kind whereas checking over your shoulders will. This will allow you to easily spot oncoming cars and/or pedestrians.
 

Conclusion

Backing out of a parking spot in a crowded parking lot can be both nerve wracking and dangerous. As a result, you must be as careful as possible. This will include checking the perimeter of your vehicle before you get in, checking behind you prior to reversing, reversing at a very slow speed and making constant over-the-shoulder checks as you reverse.