Pedestrian safety advocates are stunned at the number of deaths on Hawai'i's roadways just eight weeks into the new year. Despite modest gains in public awareness over the past year, we are no closer to ridding ourselves of the sad distinction as one the most dangerous states in America for pedestrians.

Judging from the number of calls and messages AARP Hawai'i received on the morning after a particularly sobering day last week when three pedestrians were struck by automobiles on O'ahu, pedestrian safety is an issue our community cares about deeply.

The concerns are well-founded. Hawai'i has averaged 32 pedestrian deaths per year over the past seven years. Take into account the average of 600 pedestrians requiring treatment for nonfatal injuries each year, and we're forced to ask a discomforting question: What will it take for this public safety problem to rise to the level of community crisis?

The threat to pedestrians is all the more disturbing because vulnerable residents are at greatest risk — children, the elderly and people with physical disabilities that hinder their mobility.

As an organization dedicated to helping people live active, purposeful lives as they age, AARP is concerned that a disproportionate number of pedestrian fatalities involve our kupuna. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Hawai'i is the most dangerous state in the nation to be a pedestrian over the age of 65.

How can a community that reveres its elders reconcile this fact with the knowledge that the percentage of elderly residents in Hawai'i is growing? If the safety of pedestrians is at risk today, what will happen 13 years from now when one out of every four of us will be over the age of 60? How can we support greater independence, increase mobility, and make our communities more livable for the next generation of Hawai'i residents? Most importantly, what can each of us do to make our streets safer for everyone today?

While there are no shortcuts or quick fixes on the road to pedestrian safety, AARP advocates an education, enforcement and engineering approach. This is a long-term challenge requiring behavioral adjustments by drivers and pedestrians, as well as transportation engineering solutions aimed at protecting pedestrians and bicyclists.

Education is our most immediate course of action. Community organizations must redouble their efforts to work with government to ensure that drivers are aware of laws intended to protect people in crosswalks, and that pedestrians understand the importance of crossing the street safely and responsibly.

The state Department of Transportation's Walk Wise Hawai'i program and the Ho-nolulu Police Department's pedestrian and driver safety campaign are excellent contributions to this effort, but a broader coalition of partners needs to be involved. We would like to see schools, businesses, community groups and religious institutions more actively engaged in promoting community safety.

The role of individual family members must be emphasized as well. Parents should make pedestrian safety a topic of frequent conversation at family gatherings. Children, elders and everyone old enough to drive must understand their cooperative role in keeping our streets safe.

Greater enforcement of existing laws is needed. We have to be more aggressive in cracking down on people who violate crosswalk and speeding laws — especially in densely populated urban areas. Pedestrians of all ages must understand that lack of awareness may have financial as well as deadly consequences. Drivers who disregard our laws should face stiff penalties when they kill or endanger human lives.

AARP believes that much more should also be done at the engineering and structural levels to ensure pedestrian safety. The design of our communities does not encourage walking or bicycling, nor does it provide for the safety of people who rely on these healthy and traditional modes of travel. There is much to be learned from other communities that have prioritized pedestrian safety with positive results.

Seven years ago, Salt Lake City began making relatively low-cost modifications to infrastructure. Improvements included such things as longer pedestrian walk signals, countdown timers, pedestrian-activated overhead flashing lights and crosswalk pavement markings. They installed orange flags at crosswalks to make pedestrians more visible to drivers, and implemented an "adopt-a-crosswalk" program for individuals and businesses. Appropriate capital investments in traffic signals, in combination with related education efforts, resulted in a 44 percent decline in pedestrian fatalities by 2004.

The Santa Monica Police Department's "Be Safe — Be Seen" pedestrian safety outreach program is a notable example of how a community with a sizable visitor industry made safety part of a public relations campaign to educate those who were unfamiliar with California laws. Public service announcements produced in six languages are a great educational tool for international visitors and have raised awareness among seniors as well.

In Hawai'i, AARP members and volunteers have been active on both the education and advocacy fronts. Less than a year ago, 250 AARP volunteers took part in a community service project on four islands to evaluate the safety of our busiest intersections. The survey confirmed our worst fears: Too many of our crossing signals don't allow enough time for pedestrians to get across the street safely. Volunteers noted numerous examples of other deficiencies such as poorly marked crosswalks and lack of adequate curb cuts.

In the current legislative session, AARP Hawai'i is supporting House Bill 806, which would require the state Department of Transportation to identify potentially dangerous state and county intersections where crossing signals need to be retimed. Another important piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1183, would allow a 10 percent insurance premium discount for drivers who complete a certified driver refresher course, such as those available through AARP's Driver Safety Program.

Reducing the number of pedestrian fatalities in Hawai'i is a realistic and attainable goal, but we must be clear that persistence and an unwavering commitment to public safety are required. We must all be part of this effort to make our streets safer — government, businesses, community organizations, families and individuals.

It's time to make pedestrian safety a high priority.