Maui Police to Conduct Operation SPEED, July 21-25

Speed Enforcement Team officers along Kahului Beach Road on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Maui police will be increasing speeding enforcement, education and patrols during a week-long campaign that runs from July 21 to 25, 2014, department officials announced.

The Operation SPEED campaign is similar to a campaign conducted last year in which 634 speeding citations were issued and six arrests were made during a five-day campaign in July 2013.

According to police reports, the department issued a total of 4,410 speeding citations in Maui County last year; and have issued 1,356 speeding citations so far  in 2014.

Lieutenant Ricky C. Uedoi, Traffic Section Commander for the Maui Police Department said next week’s enforcement campaign is being conducted in an effort to reduce speed-related crashes and to address the concerns of citizens.

“Last year, there were 16 fatal crashes in which six were attributed to speeding. So far this year, there have been 14 fatal crashes in which six were attributed to speeding,” said Lt. Uedoi.

Department officials say the fine for speeding in Maui County is $5 for each mile per hour a driver is going over the speed limit, plus court fees that range from $57 to $67.

The fines for driving over the speed limit are estimated at around $122 for driving 11 mph over the limit; $142 for driving 15 mph over the limit; and $167 for driving 20 mph over the limit.

According to Maui police, motorists that are caught driving 30 mph or more over the posted speed limit face a mandatory court appearance. The violation is considered a criminal offense under excessive speeding laws.

In addition to speeding citations, police will also be enforcing rules regarding the use of seat belts, the ban on cell phones while driving, and impaired driving.

The fine for using a mobile electronic device while driving increased to $297 on July 1, 2014.  The state Senate passed legislation calling for a $250 fine for the offense, but an additional $47 was tacked on by the District Court, which sets administrative fees on top of fines assessed by the state.

In the one year period since it became a state law, the Maui Police Department issued 968 citations for use of a mobile electronic device while driving.

The Operation SPEED enforcement campaign will be conducted during day and nighttime hours on all highways throughout Maui County and includes enforcement efforts in the remote areas of Hāna, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi.

Officers from the Juvenile Crime Prevention Division, Community Police Officers, and the Community Relations Section will also participate in this effort.