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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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What you’re risking when you drink and drive
The true cost of DWI
Celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day
 

What you’re risking when you drink and drive

If you care enough to have your car shipped during a move or trip, why would you risk damaging or even totaling it because you were driving under the influence of alcohol? Every year people drink and drive on holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and it continues to be an issue whether they’re causing accidents or getting pulled over and arrested for driving while being intoxicated. With everything that you’re risking, it doesn’t make any sense to even consider getting behind the wheel after you’ve had something to drink.
 

The true cost of DWI

Let’s start off by considering that all that happens is you get pulled over and arrested if you drink and drive. Depending on where you get your DWI and whether or not it’s your first DWI, the estimated total cost can be anywhere from $15,000 to $27,000.

That includes: bail, your defense attorney, increased insurance premiums, towing costs, jail fees, court fines, alcohol program cost, license re-instatement fees and more. So, a short ride under the influence could cost you at least $15,000 – all when you could have called a cab or an Uber for a fraction of the price. You will also lose your license for a year, and you could possibly spend a year in jail depending on your blood alcohol level at the time of the DWI. All of that is just for the first offense as well.

That, though, is the better case scenario if you drink and drive this St. Patrick’s Day or any time for that matter. If you get into an accident, you will also have to pay the bill for repairs on your car and anyone else’s car involved in the accident. Even if the accident was 100% not your fault, you will still be at fault because you are driving under the influence of alcohol. You can expect to add at least another $5,000 in car repairs if this is the scenario you find yourself in.

Now, consider the worst-case scenario, a very real possibility if you drink and drive. You could easily end up injuring or even killing someone, yourself included. If this is the scenario you find yourself in, yes, the cost will be even higher, but that will be the least of your worries. Forget the cost and the overwhelming guilt you’ll be feeling. Legally, you could end up going to jail for a long time. You could end up being charged with vehicular homicide or man slaughter in which case you’ll see a sentence of two to twenty years depending on the specifics of the case. You’ll likely, and justifiably see a longer sentence (of ten or more years).
 

Celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day

The specifics of every DWI case are different so it’s impossible to accurately predict what will end up happening with each particular case. Two things are for sure though, you will pay dearly for drinking and driving and there is absolutely no good reason to ever get behind the wheel of a car when you’re drunk.

There are so many other options out there. You can have a friend stay sober and be the designated driver for the night. You can stay sober and be the designated driver for the night. You can call a cab. You can order an Uber, Lyft, etc. (there is no shortage of ride-share apps out there). You can even stay home and drink. Any of these are infinitely better and, more importantly, safer choices than drinking and driving.

Don’t forget, across the country the legal Blood-Alcohol limit is .08% which means if you get behind the wheel after having more than one regular drink you will be over the limit and you will be arrested. If you are under 21, any alcohol in your blood will get you arrested as there is a zero-tolerance policy for underage DWI across the country. Across the country from 2006-2010 over seven hundred people were killed from drunk driving accidents on St. Patrick’s Day alone. In 2015 30 people died in drunk driving accidents. In general, one third of all fatalities in car accidents in the United States are caused by drunk driving. Don’t be a statistic or the person that causes them. Stay safe this St. Patrick’s Day and be driven home.

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How to drive through a construction zone legally
What signs to look for
Conclusion
 

How to drive through a construction zone legally

When you approach a construction zone as you are driving in Hawaii, you must prepare to drive through the zone in a legal fashion. This will include taking several extra precautions to ensure the safety of the construction workers who will be in very close proximity to the road. If you do not drive through the construction zone legally and are caught, the penalties will be much more severe than if you were driving unsafely on a regular road. Typically, fines for offenses such as speeding will double. If you end up injuring a construction worker as a result of driving unsafely, you will be arrested, and your civil liability will be as high as possible due to the fact you had all the literal warning signs possible and still chose to ignore them.

The most important thing that you will need to do when you are driving through a construction zone will be to slow down. Typically, speed limits are cut in half when you are in a construction zone. There will be very visible road signs with posted speed limits that will give you the specific temporary speed limits. You also must make sure that you give the driver in front of you extra space so as to not risk a collision in the construction zone. Finally, watch for areas in the construction zone where a temporary stop sign might be held by a worker. This might be to allow workers to cross the road quickly or to allow another side of traffic to advance. Either way, these stop signs count as real ones in the eyes of the law and ignoring it is the same as running a regular stop sign except the fine will be doubled when you are caught.
 

What signs to look for

As we mentioned, there will be several temporary road signs posted throughout the construction zone that will give you critically important information regarding driving safely and legally through the zone. This includes the previously mentioned posted speed limits as well as hand-held temporary stop signs. The difference with the stop signs will be that the worker will flip it to a side that says “Go” when it is safe to do so, much like a traffic light. There could also be several other signs that you will need to watch out for such as a sign that could signify a lane shift or a sign that could signify a rougher road due to road grading.
 

Conclusion

Driving through a construction zone requires your full attention as well as obedience to heightened traffic regulations in that particular zone. If you do not obey the lower speed limits or temporary stop signs, for example, you will be pulled over and the fines you will pay will be twice as high as normal. Even worse, when you drive haphazardly through a construction zone you risk the workers safety which can possibly land you in jail and/or paying thousands in civil court if one of them gets injured.

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Proper steering techniques
What to know about power steering
Conclusion
 

Proper steering techniques

Steering is obviously a critically important component of driving. It allows you to turn, change lanes, maneuver your car properly when parking and much more. The vast majority of drivers out there steer their vehicle just fine every day when they are driving. However, true proper steering technique ends up going by the wayside for many people once they pass their driving test at a young age.

As we said, many people get by just fine with an improper steering technique. The issue is, they could be driving even more efficiently and safely had they been using a proper technique for steering their vehicle. The by the book and most efficient way to handle steering will start with both hands on the steering wheel at all times on the outside of the wheel on opposite sides. If you imagine the wheel as a clock, you should have your hands positioned at about the 9 O’clock and 3 O’clock positions when you are holding the wheel steady and driving straight.

When you are maneuvering the wheel, you should always use a technique call “push-pull steering”. In this technique, your hands will feed the wheel to your other hand as your turn the wheel without your arms ever crossing each other. This is recommended due to the fact that your arms will not impede the airbag in the cases of an accident.
 

What to know about power steering

Power steering is the system in your vehicle which, in real-time, signals your wheels to turn and how far. It is not actually you turning the wheels because, if it were, it would be very difficult as well as a big strain on you and your arms due to the weight of the wheels and the steering system components as well as the amount of tension caused by the motion of the vehicle. Instead, when you turn your steering wheel, the power steering system gets instantaneously engaged and does the work for you based on the exact movement of the wheel. There are several different types of power steering systems and each has different ways of powering the system. Some will power the system from the engine whereas others will power the system through belts, electric motors or computers. Most modern power steering systems will use a computer although all work fine.
 

Conclusion

Steering is such an important and frequent part of driving that it is a subconscious action for many after a year or two of driving. However, always being focused on using the proper technique when steering is crucial. It will help make maneuvering the car easier and it will help keep you even safer. An improper steering technique can even go as far to cause your arms to possibly impede the airbags if deployed which can be fatal in the case of an accident.

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Avoid the busiest times
Parking apps
Conclusion
 

Avoid the busiest times

Parking can be quite difficult to find in Hawaii, especially in areas like Honolulu. This is because there is a high demand for parking from commuters and tourists as well as a bit of a shortage of parking due to residential regulations and city regulations. Thus, you should try your very best to avoid having to look for parking when these more densely populated areas are at their busiest.

In Hawaii, you will find that cities like Honolulu are busiest during the hours between 9 AM and 4 PM. This is because these times mark the end of the morning rush hour and the start of the evening rush hour. Hence, looking for parking before the morning rush gets in or after the evening rush leaves is your best bet in order to find a spot. Regardless, you should always give yourself at least an extra fifteen minutes if you anticipate having to look for a parking space.
 

Parking apps

There are actually a few very useful apps that can help you find parking much more easily in Hawaii. These apps will help you find parking including free parking on the street, metered parking and paid parking in garages. Typically, if you visit an area like Honolulu during a busier time you will need to get metered parking or pay to use a garage but at least you will have a spot. With these apps, you will be able to find these spots quickly and efficiently.

Different apps will offer different functionality. If you are looking for garage and parking lot spaces (which will come with a fee) you can use ParkWhiz, SpotHero or bestparking.com. If you are looking for on-street parking spaces try using Parker, ParkMe or Parknav. Be sure that your phone has been charged and that you have available data in order to use these apps while you are out looking for parking.
 

Conclusion

Looking for parking in Hawaii can be difficult at times due to the high demand for parking as well as the potential scarcity of spaces due to local laws and ordinances. Try to find parking outside of the busiest times in areas like Honolulu and be sure to give yourself additional time to look for a spot if you need to be somewhere by a certain time. Try using a parking app to make your life easier, just be aware these apps are best at finding metered or other paid forms of parking. So, bring some change with you as well.