Another fatal DKI Hwy crash prompts calls for more enforcement

HILO, Hawaii (KHON2) -- A deadly head-on collision on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway Thursday morning has renewed concerns about safety. Officials said a Toyota 4Runner traveling Kona-bound lost control and hydroplaned into the opposite lane near Mile Marker 18 and collided with an oncoming dump truck, a Ford F450, headed toward Hilo. One person was killed, and another was injured. The 4Runner was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived. Hawaii County fire officials said there was a third car involved in the crash, a minivan that skidded off the road with no injuries. The crash shut down the highway for about four hours while investigators processed the scene. The latest fatality marks the fifth death along a 13-mile stretch of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway in the past month. Since 2024, eight fatal crashes on the highway have claimed 11 lives. Data show this is the third fatal crash at Mile Marker 18. Police said overtaking maneuvers and wet road conditions were factors in previous deadly crashes at the location. Other fatal crashes have occurred near Mile Markers 13, 25 and 26. State Rep. Sue Lee Loy (Hilo) called the latest tragedy heartbreaking. "Another tragic accident this morning. It was raining, but it all cleared up. It's just unexplainable, and I have no words. Really, this is just tragic for us," Lee Loy said. The fatal crash comes just weeks after the state installed delineators and other traffic-calming measures between Mile Markers 16 and 19 in an effort to reduce dangerous driving behaviors. Lee Loy said she has contacted state Transportation Director Ed Sniffen and Hawaii County officials to push for additional safety improvements. "I've reached out to Sniffen and Chief Reed Mahuna and really just pulled the alarm. This is an all-hands-on-deck effort for the county and state to work together," she said. Among the options being discussed are increased enforcement and the possible future use of speed enforcement cameras. Lawmakers approved legislation this year allowing the expansion of speed camera programs statewide. "We just passed the bill this year on speed enforcement cameras, and I would love to see Director Sniffen and police lean in and see if it's something we can start to introduce," Lee Loy said. Still, she emphasized that engineering improvements can only do so much. "No amount of engineering and design mitigation measures is going to stop recklessness. People have to choose better," she said. Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said he was devastated by the latest loss of life. "I'm so sad for the families and the victims' families. We've tried everything from PSAs to signage," Alameda said. "When I saw the photos today, it was right by where the delineators were, so I know the state has been working really hard to improve road conditions all over our island." Alameda said officials are examining whether environmental factors such as water runoff and changing roadway conditions may also be contributing to crashes in the area. Police said they are responding by significantly increasing enforcement along the highway corridor. From Jan. 1 through June 4, Hawaii Police officers conducted 162 selective enforcement operations along the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and stopped 1,256 drivers. According to police, speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving and seat belt violations were factors in nine of the county's 10 most recent traffic fatalities. Deputy Chief Sherry Bird said officers will be increasing their presence even more following Thursday's crash. "We've increased our visibility and enforcement on DKI Highway doing proactive enforcement, and following today's incident we'll be increasing it even more," Bird said. "We're going to have high-visibility enforcement on DKI Highway. We don't want to respond to these types of incidents. As much as we can help it, we're going to try and prevent it." The crash remains under investigation. Police are reminding motorists to slow down, avoid distractions, never drive impaired and report reckless drivers by calling 911.