I figure since it’s nearly impossible to get any information or statistics about car accidents on the Big Island… that I my as well just start my own page of them.
If you see any wrecks on the Big Island and would like to submit the pictures to this site feel free to by emailing the Location of the Accident, and the date and time of the incident to damontucker @ yahoo.com (no spaces).
I call them wrecks and not accidents because I’m a firm believer that accidents can be prevented most of the time, however wrecks… well they happen due to other things.
This initial list is just wrecks that I have come across… mind you I’m not everywhere all the time… so this isn’t even close to the amount of wrecks that are actually happening on this Highway… these are just the ones I’m simply able to post about!
- Highway 130 Wreck Leads to Death of Motorcyclist
- 8/1/11 Malama Market and Highway 130
- 7/25/11 FATALITY
- 5/19/11 Road Rage Incident Highway 130 and Makuu
- 5/19/11 Highway 130 and Ainaloa – Fatality
- 5/7/11 Highway 130 and Orchidland
- 4/18/11 Highway 130 and Kahakai
- 3/16/11 Highway 130 and Kahakai
- 1/11/11 Highway 130 and Old Pahoa Road
- 12/13/10 Word Was Out of Yet ANOTHER Cow Strike! (SUBMITTED)
- 12/12/10 Ainaloa and Highway 130
- 12/5/10 Makuu and Highway 130
- 11/15/10 School Bus and Pahoa Market Place Intersection and H130
- 11/4/10 Paradise Drive and Highway 130
- 10/18/10 I got in a Wreck! Another Reason Why Senior Citizens Should Not Be Driving!
- 10/18/10 Pahoa Market Place Intersection and H130
- 9/8/10 Main Government Road Pahoa Village
- 9/6/10 Pahoa Market Place Intersection and H130
- 8/20/10 Kapoho-Pohoiki Rd. and H130
- 7/9/10 Highway 130 and Highway 11
- 7/6/10 Orchidland and Highway 130
- 6/16/10 Orchidland and Highway 130
- 3/6/10 Highway 130 and Pahoa-Kapoho Dr.
- 12/9/09 Kapoho-Pohoiki Rd. and H130
- 12/6/09 Paradise Drive and H130
- 11/6/09 Utility Pole Gets Banged… When Will it be Someone?
- 10/24/09 Highway 130
- 5/31/09 Two Killed Highway 130 and Ainaloa
- 4/19/09 Dangerous By Design?
- 4/5/09 Highway 130 Near Painted Church
- 1/26/09 Video: HDOT Rep. Jiro Sumada on Death of Bus Rider on H130
- 1/21/09 Bus rider killed on H130
- 12/31/08 Highway 130 by Keaau
- 12/4/08 238 Accidents Reported 2004 – 2006
- 11/9/08 Man killed at Kahakai and H130
Damon, having looked at most of the “accidents” posted here I have to agree with Kris. You had mentioned the “accident” at the intersection of Old Pahoa Rd. and Hwy 130 on 1/11/11, that the State was going to be sued……..The State and the driver of the tour bus were sued quite a while ago. The result of that, among other things, was the installation of the Traffic Lights there now. You can do endless ‘improvments’, install roundabouts, More traffic lights…..Bottom line is, the road is only as safe as the drivers who drive on it! It is very obvious that there are just plain too many licensed drivers who don’t know how to drive. To obtain a license, one has to “exhibit skills to operate a motor vehicle” That just isn’t enough, it takes a LOT more than that to negotiate Hwy 130. Especially nowadays. It’s nothing like it was 35 years ago. We all just need BETTER drivers. Thank you
Hi Damon. It’s Peri from the Census. Yes, we saw this accident and YES, it is impossible to get ANY information about car accidents here on the Big Island. Why is that? I felt terrible seeing this and wanted to know if everyone was alright but nothing!
[...] Highway 130 Wrecks [...]
I am glad someone is reporting this, Thank-you Damon.
It is a dangerous road.
A well designed road has Lights. Crosswalks. Stoplights. Visible signs. Sidewalks. Bike lanes. The two things that make Hwy 130 dangerous is the lack of stoplights, and the lack of enforcement of that road IMO. I see more enforcement on 11 than 130, but honestly the 11 stretch to/from Hilo is probably the safest road on the island. Go figure! Drivers don’t pay attention because 130 is a straightaway with no stops between Pahoa and Keaau High School. So they speed! They take their eyes off the road. They look at their phones. There’s no anticipation of stopping, so they don’t notice pedestrians and cars pulling out or turning in. At least that’s how I see it. I hope all the talks will turn into real VISIBLE improvements for our roads. Or maybe we should wait until another one dies??
I think a lot has to do with ‘taking chances’ and lack of knowledge re: rules of the road.
This is so clearly a road design issue! If not, why would all these accidents happen in the same place?
Bad drivers are everywhere, ‘wreck’ clusters are from unsafe roads.
Damon, How much of this do you think is related to road issues (visibility, poor conditions) and how much related to inexperienced, incompetent, or incautious drivers? I know there are some dangerous roads to pull out of, but in my experience I’ve seen WAY more clueless drivers than poor road issues. Maybe you could do a post educating your readers about some simple safe driving tactics they could adopt to avoid wrecks. Two of my biggest: Turn on your headlights at dusk and during rainy conditions – it may not help YOU see any better, but other drivers will see you. And: Pull over if there are more than 5 cars behind you to let them pass. I wish drivers could be more patient, but they just can’t. Getting out of the way will help to eliminate wrecks caused by passing in dangerous areas.
What do you think? Educate the people, Damon!
I think Highway 130 is poorly designed more so then folks being bad drivers. I’m scared to drive on the Highway at times and some intersections absolutely scare the crap out of me! This coming from someone who has driven on mainland highways before moving here.