Clearly, something must be done.

Merely six weeks into 2007, and already seven lives have been claimed by pedestrian accidents. On Monday alone, three more pedestrians were hit. And by Tuesday afternoon, there was yet another accident that might have been prevented.

According to Honolulu Police Lt. Jerry Wojcik, who is heading the department's new pedestrian safety campaign, there is no single reason for the incidents. A majority of the pedestrian fatalities are elderly residents; the highest number of injuries are among children between 10 and 14.

If there's anything to blame, he says it's a lack of understanding about the law. And in some cases, a disregard for it.

Given the number of injuries and deaths, this is inexcusable.

The Honolulu Police Department, AARP-Hawai'i and legislators are already looking into ways to increase pedestrian safety, including a TV and radio campaign, inspections and restriping of crosswalks and a police crackdown.

It's time to explore and implement even more aggressive solutions. If the city is to effectively combat the problem, it must look to other cities that have already gone through similar waves of accidents.

In 2000, San Francisco was named the most dangerous county in California for pedestrians, according to a report called "Caught in the Crosswalk" released by a Washington, D.C.-based transportation research institute. At the time, pedestrian deaths accounted for nearly half of all traffic fatalities in San Francisco, compared with the national average of 13 percent.

Following the report, then-Supervisor Mabel Teng issued her own report that included 100 proposals. Among them: create illuminated crosswalks; reconfigure the crossing time of streets from the national standard of 4 feet per second (which is enforced in Honolulu), and install more countdown clocks. In school areas and at busier intersections, she proposed creating more speed bumps.

In Austin, Texas, the city also implemented the three E's that AARP-Hawai'i has been campaigning for: Engineering, Enforcement and Education. In addition, they added another E: Encouragement. By shifting the culture to a pedestrian and bicycling community, the city hoped to keep more cars off the road and enhance road safety.

With the recent passage of the City Charter amendment that aims to make the city a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly city, this is a prime time to adopt this effort.

And in Chicago, where one-third of the pedestrian accidents involved children under 15, the city launched an aggressive pedestrian safety campaign in schools. In addition, the city implemented "widespread traffic-calming measures," such as wider sidewalks on all newly constructed streets. In several cities, surveillance cameras were installed at intersections that caught drivers speeding through red lights.

Under Hawai'i's law, drivers must wait until a pedestrian is on the other half of the roadway. That means if you are on a six-lane road, the pedestrian must cross the three lanes on your side before you can proceed. This law should be strengthened, given the high number of elderly pedestrians on our streets who require more time. The law should allow for the pedestrian to reach the other curbside before drivers can move ahead — and lawmakers should consider boosting the fines for both jaywalkers and motorists.

While there may be no clear pattern for these accidents, there's one undisputed fact. Those who are being killed and injured are among the most vulnerable in our communities: elderly and children.

For this reason, the actions taken by other cities merit serious consideration.

Beyond that, the problem is going to take more than legislation and enforcement. It's going to take the effort of both pedestrians and drivers. Following the law and being vigilant on the road may seem basic, but they are an essential part of road safety.

In a state where great weather spans year-round, walking should be a health benefit — not a grave risk.