Police Encourage Public to Join the 2026 Safe Roads Challenge to Promote Safer Roads

The Hawai‘i Police Department is pleased to team up with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) for the 2026 Safe Roads Challenge, a statewide initiative designed to reduce crashes, save lives, and promote safer driving habits across Hawai‘i, with a special call to action for Big Island residents.

The Safe Roads Challenge is a free gamified safe driving app available on iOS and Android, created to reward users for driving responsibly.

Statewide, 2025 marked Hawai‘i’s deadliest year on the roads since 2007, with 129 traffic fatalities. It’s been a tragic year on Hawai‘i Island roads, with 19 fatal crashes resulting in 21 deaths, which included:

• 7 pedestrians
• 5 passengers
• 4 motorcyclists
• 5 drivers

Impairment on drugs and/or alcohol, distracted driving, speeding, and failing to use safety equipment properly continue to be factors in fatal crashes. For example, impairment due to drugs and/or alcohol contributed to 63 percent of fatal crashes on island this year, with speeding a contributing factor in 21 percent of the crashes. Improper use of safety equipment (no seat belt, helmet, or child safety seat) was also a factor in 58 percent of fatal crashes this year. Some of the fatal crashes involved multiple factors listed above, which dramatically increased the probability of a fatal crash.

“To keep yourself and your loved ones safer on the road and help reduce the risk of serious injury or worse, it’s important that we all take these behavioral risks seriously,” said Torey Keltner, Program Manager for Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section. “Following the safety guidelines and recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), and the Hawaii Police Department really can’t be emphasized enough, making these changes can truly make a difference for you and everyone sharing the road.” 

Download the Safe Roads Challenge app from https://saferoadschallenge.com or the Android/iOS app stores. Create an account and set the app’s location and motion settings to “always allow”, this lets the app record trips distraction-free in the background. Participants are automatically added to Hawai‘i’s Team upon selecting Hawai‘i as their home state.

Compete with friends and family by adding them in the app under the “Friends” tile in the “My Personal Stats” tab. Scores of at least 80 points earn entries for rewards. To see available challenges, click the “Teams” tab in the app and use the dropdown to filter to the Hawai‘i Safe Roads Challenge. The first challenge begins on January 1, 2026.

Check out HDOT’s website https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/hawaii-safe-roads-challenge/ for more information about specific monthly themes, weekly challenges, prize opportunities, and events. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring additional reward zones, such as the street fronting a school or their favorite park, are encouraged to reach out to the Safe Roads Challenge team by emailing eileen@saferoadschallenge.com.

This New Year’s weekend and throughout 2026, let’s make safe driving a priority, the life you save may just be your own.