Fewer people in Hawaii are buckling up, and that is showing up in more deadly crashes — bad news for drivers and passengers, though Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi counties are bucking the trend.

• Most recent deadly crashes on the Big Island involved people thrown from their vehicles because they were not belted in.
• Many of those killed were passengers, not drivers — and the driver is legally responsible for everyone in the car being buckled.
• A common myth is that only front-seat riders need belts; Hawaii law covers everyone in the vehicle.
• Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi police credit high compliance to community work: school visits, safety events, and free car seat checks at malls and hospitals.
• Parents unsure about car seat installation can ask their local police department when the next car seat check is happening.

Outlook: Police will keep pushing the buckle-up message through community events, hoping compliance rises before more avoidable deaths pile up.