The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has announced the next phase of its Eyes on the Road initiative, which seeks to engage local drivers in monitoring state-managed roadways. The program is a collaboration with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Engineering and Blyncsy, aiming to distribute free dash cameras to selected participants. Data collected from these cameras will be automatically sent to HDOT maintenance teams, alerting them to issues such as potholes, cracks, damaged guardrails, faded pavement markings, debris and overgrown vegetation.
So far, 898 drivers have registered on O‘ahu, 69 on Hawai‘i Island, 33 on Maui, 14 on Kaua‘i and one on Moloka‘i. To achieve full coverage of the state’s inventory—comprising 982 miles of roads and 744 bridges—HDOT is seeking an additional 321 participants for Hawai‘i Island, 211 for Maui and 101 for Kaua‘i. Registration for O‘ahu is now closed; those who signed up will be prioritized by address.
Selected drivers will receive email notifications from the University of Hawai‘i with instructions for picking up their dashcams starting January 5, 2026. Pickup locations include HDOT Highways District Office Permit Windows in Līhuʻe (Kauaʻi), Kahului (Maui), Honolulu (Oʻahu), Hilo (Hawaiʻi), and the Airport Administration Office near Kona’s cell phone waiting lot. Participants are asked not to visit pickup sites unless they have received confirmation.
Participants are also encouraged to share dashcam footage that highlights positive driving behavior or serves as educational material using hashtags #HIGoSafe or #Eyesontheroad. Selected videos may be featured on @hawaiidot’s Instagram account.
More information about Eyes on the Road can be found at https://www.eng.hawaii.edu/eyes-on-the-road/.
HDOT is a state agency responsible for managing multi-modal transportation systems across air, land and water throughout Hawaii’s six major islands. Its responsibilities include overseeing airports, harbors and highways while working closely with federal agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Coast Guard as well as county governments (official website). The department aims to maintain safe and efficient mobility networks that support economic growth and quality of life (official website).
For further details about HDOT’s operations—including its network of airports, harbors and highways—visit the official website.