A deadly pickup truck crash on Hawaii Island adds to a sharp rise in traffic deaths this year — bad news for road safety on the Big Island.

• A pickup truck left North Kalani Road in Mountain View, hit a tree, and flipped; the driver, alone in the truck, died at the scene.
• Speed, no seat belt, and alcohol or drugs are all suspected as factors.
• This is the 26th traffic death on Hawaii Island this year, up from 17 at the same point last year.
• The jump suggests a worsening pattern of deadly crashes, not an isolated case.

Outlook: Police are still investigating, and the rising death count will likely bring more pressure for speed and impaired-driving enforcement.