In the year since McKinley High School student Sara Yara (c/o 2024) was killed in a hit and run in a marked crosswalk on Kapiolani Boulevard Feb.15 2023, the community has worked to create safer streets and raise awareness. On Kapiolani and Pensacola street speeds bumps where placed in response to the accident. McKinleys principal Ron Okamura worked with the city and county to install these speedbumps. Something like this would normally take a few years to build, but happened within

a couple of weeks. Lane closures happened on March 20, 2023 from
9 am to 3 pm and their completion date was on Mar. 23, 2023 according to the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation.

“To me, it was a groundbreaking event that took place. Both the city and the state government came together to do something really quickly because normally projects like this will take a couple of years,” Okamura said.

Okamura said these speed bumps are a huge difference when it comes to cars slowing down. He said it’s important people are aware they are driving in a school zone, with students and other pedestrians frequently crossing the street.

“(It made)A huge difference as far as cars and the speeds that they come down. The one thing that I think is most important is that people are aware that there is a school there,” Okamura said.

Another part of pedestrian safety is awareness and rallies.

An issue Okamura has seen is how people don’t look both ways when walking the streets. With pedestrians having the right of way, pedestrians just walk onto the street, expecting the cars to stop. He said when he was growing up they had classes on how to cross the streets. People expect the car to stop and somtimes people get hit.

He said you have to keep yourself just as safe even with the speedbumps there.

“Anytime you go across the streets regardless if you have a light on or anything, it is important to always stop and look when you go across the streets because you never know if drivers are paying attention or not.”