Hawaii Auto Accident Trends: More Than 10 Years of Injury Data

​

What changes when a Hawaii auto accident injury law firm looks back across more than a decade of its records? Some patterns stay remarkably consistent. Others reveal a different mix of vehicles, road users, and insurance companies.

​

At the Law Offices of David W. Barlow, we reviewed our accident inventories labeled 2016-2020 and 2021-2026. Together, they contain 238 listed records, offering a broader view of our practice than either period alone.

​

The clearest finding: rear-end collisions and failure-to-yield accidents dominate both periods. GEICO also appears more frequently in the newer inventory, while e-bike and e-scooter entries introduce categories absent from the earlier one.

​

These are observations from our firm's records, rather than a statewide survey. The inventories contain possible repeated entries, so totals below describe records reviewed—not a verified count of distinct crashes or clients. The date ranges span more than 10 years and are not two equal five-year periods.

​

More Than a Decade of Hawaii Accident Data at a Glance

 

Across both inventories:

​

• 101 records, or 42.4%, are classified as rear-end collisions.

• 70 records, or 29.4%, are classified as failure to yield.

• Together, those two categories account for 71.8% of all listed records.

• 81 records, or 34.0%, involve pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, mopeds, e-bikes, or e-scooters in the vehicle/road-user field.

• GEICO is the most frequently listed name in both the bodily-injury and no-fault insurance fields: 52 and 67 records, respectively.

​​

This expanded review builds on our earlier Hawaii auto accident statistics article, adding the older inventory and comparing the patterns across both periods.

​

Which Accident Types Appear Most Often?

​

The comparisons below use every listed record as the denominator: 124 in the earlier inventory, 114 in the newer inventory, and 238 combined. Two newer records have no accident classification.

​

Rear-end collision

• 2016–2020: 51 (41.1%)

• 2020–2026: 50 (43.9%)

• Combined: 101 (42.4%)

​​

Failure to yield

• 2016–2020: 37 (29.8%)

• 2020–2026: 33 (28.9%)

• Combined: 70 (29.4%)

​​

Ran stop sign/light

• 2016–2020: 10 (8.1%)

• 2021–2026: 10 (8.8%)

• Combined: 20 (8.4%)

​

General negligence

• 2016–2020: 6 (4.8%)

• 2021–2026: 11 (9.6%)

• Combined: 17 (7.1%)

​

Inattention

• 2016–2020: 9 (7.3%)

• 2021–2026: 0

• Combined: 9 (3.8%)

​

Distracted

• 2016–2020: 0

• 2021–2026: 5 (4.4%)

• Combined: 5 (2.1%)

​

Fell asleep

• 2016–2020: 4 (3.2%)

• 2021–2026: 1 (0.9%)

• Combined: 5 (2.1%)

​

DUI

• 2016–2020:  4 (3.2%)

• 2021–2026: 0

• Combined: 4 (1.7%)

​

Speeding

• 2016–2020: 1 (0.8%)

• 2021–2026: 2 (1.8%)

• Combined: 3 (1.3%)​

​

Rear-End Collisions Remain the Leading Category

​

Rear-end collisions account for roughly four in ten records in both periods. Their share increased from 41.1% to 43.9%, a change of 2.7 percentage points calculated before rounding.

​

The more striking result is their consistency: 51 entries in the older inventory and 50 in the newer one. The data supports describing rear-end collisions as a recurring feature of our practice. It does not establish that these crashes became more frequent across Hawaii.

​

If you were injured when another vehicle struck you from behind, visit our Hawaii rear-end accident lawyer page to learn about our work with these claims.

​

Failure to Yield Remains Close to Three in Ten Records

​

Failure-to-yield entries changed only slightly as a share of the inventories: 29.8% in the earlier period and 28.9% in the newer period.

​

Notes in the inventories describe left turns, lane changes, vehicles entering traffic, and pedestrians in crosswalks. These examples show why a single category can cover several different accident situations.

​

For someone injured while crossing the street, our Hawaii pedestrian injury page provides a more focused starting point.

​

Stop-Sign and Traffic-Light Entries Are Also Consistent

​

Each inventory contains 10 records classified as running a stop sign or light. Their percentage changes from 8.1% to 8.8% because the newer inventory has fewer total entries. This is a useful example of why a higher percentage does not necessarily mean more listed accidents.

​

Some Apparent Changes Reflect How Accidents Were Labeled

​

The older inventory uses “Inattention,” while the newer one uses “Distracted.” Those labels describe related concepts, but they are not automatically interchangeable. Their different counts do not establish that distracted driving increased or decreased.

​

Similarly, the broad negligence category rises from 4.8% to 9.6%. That could reflect a change in the types of matters recorded, a change in classification, or both. Other categories can also involve negligent conduct; this column is not a complete measure of negligence.

​

The newer inventory has no primary DUI entries, but one record classified under running a stop sign/light includes a DUI note. A zero in these comparisons therefore does not mean alcohol played no role in any newer matter. Our distracted-driving accident page discusses another issue that may overlap with a crash's main classification.

​

How Did the Mix of Vehicles and Road Users Change?

​

Auto

• 2016–2020: 75 (60.5%)

• 2021–2026: 79 (69.3%)

• Combined: 154 (64.7%)

​

Bicycle

• 2016–2020: 15 (12.1%)

• 2021–2026: 10 (8.8%)

• Combined: 25 (10.5%)

​

Moped

• 2016–2020: 12 (9.7%)

• 2021–2026: 8 (7.0%)

• Combined: 20 (8.4%)

​

Pedestrian

• 2016–2020: 10 (8.1%)

• 2021–2026: 8 (7.0%)

• Combined: 18 (7.6%)

​

Motorcycle

• 2016–2020: 9 (7.3%)

• 2021–2026: 6 (5.3%)

• Combined: 15 (6.3%)

​

Bus

• 2016–2020: 3 (2.4%)

• 2021–2026: 0

• Combined: 3 (1.3%)

​

E-scooter

• 2016–2020: 0

• 2021–2026: 2 (1.8%)

• Combined: 2 (0.8%)

​

E-bike

• 2016–2020: 0

• 2021–2026: 1 (0.9%)

• Combined: 1 (0.4%)

​

The “Auto” category increased from 60.5% to 69.3%, an 8.8-percentage-point shift. Bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, and pedestrians each represent smaller shares of the newer inventory.

Together, pedestrians and the five rider categories account for 37.1% of earlier records and 30.7% of newer records. They still make up about one-third of the combined inventory. That breadth matters when reviewing injury claims: the records extend well beyond people traveling in cars.

Explore our pages on bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, and moped accidents for information tailored to those situations.

​

E-Bikes and E-Scooters Appear in the Newer Inventory

​

The newer records include two e-scooter entries and one e-bike entry; the earlier inventory has neither label. All three newer entries are classified as failure to yield.

That is a notable addition to the range of matters recorded, but three entries cannot establish a statewide growth rate or show how risky these vehicles are compared with others. Our Hawaii e-bike and electric scooter accident page addresses these types of claims.

​

Is GEICO More Prominent in the Newer Records?

​

Yes—within our inventories, GEICO accounts for a larger share of both insurance fields in the newer period.

​

Bodily-Injury Insurance: Selected Frequently Listed Companies

​

GEICO

• 2016–2020: 24 (19.4%)

• 2021–2026: 28 (24.6%)

• Combined: 52 (21.8%)

​

State Farm

• 2016–2020: 12 (9.7%)

• 2021–2026: 17 (14.9%)

• Combined: 29 (12.2%)

​

USAA

• 2016–2020: 18 (14.5%)

• 2021–2026: 11 (9.6%)

• Combined: 29 (12.2%)

​

Allstate

• 2016–2020: 6 (4.8%)

• 2021–2026: 12 (10.5%)

• Combined: 18 (7.6%)

​

Progressive

• 2016–2020: 9 (7.3%)

• 2021–2026: 9 (7.9%)

• Combined: 18 (7.6%)

​

Farmers

• 2016–2020: 6 (4.8%)

• 2021–2026: 9 (7.9%)

• Combined: 15 (6.3%)

​

GEICO's bodily-injury share rose by 5.2 percentage points. State Farm's share also increased by 5.2 points, and Allstate's increased by 5.7 points. USAA's share declined by 4.9 points.

​

No-Fault Insurance: A Different Pattern

​

GEICO

​

• 2016–2020: 31 (25.0%)

• 2021–2026: 36 (31.6%)

• Combined: 67 (28.2%)

​

State Farm

​

• 2016–2020: 21 (16.9%)

• 2021–2026: 15 (13.2%)

• Combined: 36 (15.1%)

​

USAA

​

• 2016–2020: 17 (13.7%)

• 2021–2026: 11 (9.6%)

• Combined: 28 (11.8%)

​

Farmers

​

• 2016–2020: 10 (8.1%)

• 2021–2026: 8 (7.0%)

• Combined: 18 (7.6%)

​

Progressive

​

• 2016–2020: 4 (3.2%)

• 2021–2026: 12 (10.5%)

• Combined: 16 (6.7%)

 

Allstate

​

• 2016–2020: 6 (4.8%)

• 2021–2026: 3 (2.6%)

• Combined: 9 (3.8%)

​

GEICO's no-fault share increased by 6.6 percentage points. Progressive shows an even larger share increase among these six companies, moving from 3.2% to 10.5%, or 7.3 percentage points.

​

State Farm illustrates why the two insurance fields should stay separate: it appears more frequently in the bodily-injury field but less frequently in the no-fault field as a share of records. Adding both fields together would count insurance listings rather than distinct accidents.

​

Both insurance lists show selected companies, not every insurance entry, so their percentages do not total 100%.

​

What These Insurance Figures Can and Cannot Tell Us

​

The figures show which companies appear in our records. They do not measure statewide market share, customer popularity, driver safety, settlement generosity, or claim-denial rates. Changes in the firm's mix of matters could influence the results.

Our guide to auto insurance coverage in Hawaii explains coverage concepts. For independent consumer information and premium-comparison resources, visit the Hawaii Insurance Division's motor vehicle insurance page.

​

Trends Over Time: Comparing 2016–2020 with 2021–2026

​

Looking at the two periods side by side reveals a combination of continuity and change. The main accident patterns remain similar, while the mix of road users and insurance companies shifts more noticeably. For the Law Offices of David W. Barlow, this comparison adds perspective to more than a decade of Hawaii auto accident injury records.

The comparisons below highlight changes in each category's share of listed records. A percentage-point change is the newer percentage minus the earlier percentage, calculated before rounding. These are comparisons between two inventories, not year-by-year trends or statewide accident rates.

Rear-end and failure-to-yield categories combined

​

• 2016–2020: 71.0%

• 2021–2026: 72.8%

• Change in share: +1.8 percentage points

​

Auto category

​

• 2016–2020: 60.5%

• 2021–2026: 69.3%

• Change in share: +8.8 percentage points

​

Pedestrians and all five rider categories combined

• 2016–2020: 37.1%

• 2021–2026: 30.7%

• Change in share: −6.4 percentage points

​

GEICO in the bodily-injury insurance field

• 2016–2020: 19.4%

• 2021–2026: 24.6%

• Change in share: +5.2 percentage points

​

GEICO in the no-fault insurance field

• 2016–2020: 25.0%

• 2021–2026: 31.6%

• Change in share: +6.6 percentage points

​

Progressive in the no-fault insurance field

​

• 2016–2020: 3.2%

• 2021–2026: 10.5%

• Change in share: +7.3 percentage points

​

Allstate in the bodily-injury insurance field

​

• 2016–2020: 4.8%

• 2021–2026: 10.5%

• Change in share: +5.7 percentage points

​

1. The Dominant Accident Patterns Have Changed Very Little

​

Rear-end collisions and failure-to-yield accidents together account for 88 of 124 earlier records and 83 of 114 newer records. In both periods, that is approximately seven out of every ten entries.

​

Within that combined group, rear-end collisions take a slightly larger share of the newer inventory, while failure to yield takes a slightly smaller share. The broader pattern remains stable: these two categories dominate the firm's recorded accident mix across both periods.

​

Stop-sign and traffic-light entries reinforce that continuity, with 10 records in each period. Taken together, the three categories represent 79.0% of earlier records and 81.6% of newer records. The newer inventory therefore remains concentrated in the same leading categories rather than showing a wholesale change in the types of accidents recorded.

​

2. The Newer Inventory Has a Larger Auto Share

​

The Auto category rises from 75 to 79 entries even though the newer inventory contains fewer records overall. Its share increases by 8.8 percentage points, making this a more pronounced shift than the change in either of the two leading accident categories.

​

Bicycle entries move from 15 to 10, moped entries from 12 to eight, motorcycle entries from nine to six, and pedestrian entries from 10 to eight. Together with e-bike and e-scooter entries, these road-user categories account for 46 earlier records and 35 newer records.

​

This indicates a change in the composition of the inventories. It does not show that walking, cycling, or riding became safer in Hawaii: the records do not measure how many people used each mode of travel or how far they traveled.

​

3. E-Bikes and E-Scooters Add New Categories, but the Numbers Are Small

​

The three newer e-bike and e-scooter entries account for 2.6% of the newer inventory combined. All three are classified as failure to yield, connecting these newer vehicle categories to one of the most persistent accident patterns in the records.

​

Their appearance broadens the types of matters represented in the firm's data. Because there are only three entries and none under these labels in the earlier inventory, a percentage growth rate would be misleading. The useful observation is that these categories appear in the newer period, not that the records establish an epidemic or a statewide increase.

​

4. GEICO Is More Prominent, but Other Insurers Also Shift

​

GEICO's increased presence is consistent across both insurance fields: bodily-injury entries rise from 24 to 28, and no-fault entries rise from 31 to 36. That supports describing GEICO as more prominent in the newer records.

​

Progressive shows a different pattern. Its bodily-injury count stays at nine, while its no-fault count rises from four to 12. Allstate moves in the opposite direction across the two fields: bodily-injury entries increase from six to 12, while no-fault entries decrease from six to three.

​

State Farm also moves differently by insurance role, increasing from 12 to 17 bodily-injury entries while decreasing from 21 to 15 no-fault entries. USAA's representation declines in both fields, from 18 to 11 bodily-injury entries and from 17 to 11 no-fault entries.

​

These differences show why an insurer's role in a record matters. A company can become more prominent in one insurance category while becoming less prominent in another. The data supports those observations within our practice; establishing changes in statewide popularity or market share would require separate insurance-market data.

​

5. Smaller Categories Require More Cautious Interpretation

​

Entries labeled “Fell Asleep” decline from four to one, while speeding entries increase from one to two. Those movements can look dramatic when expressed as relative percentages, but they involve only a few records. They are too limited to support broad conclusions about Hawaii driving behavior.

​

The change from “Inattention” in the earlier inventory to “Distracted” in the newer one also prevents a clean comparison. Likewise, the increase in the general negligence label may partly reflect how records were classified. These categories are useful descriptions of the inventories, but they do not independently establish changes in underlying driver conduct.

​

What the Comparison Means for Our Hawaii Injury Practice

​

The strongest finding across these periods is persistence: rear-end and failure-to-yield entries remain dominant. The clearest shifts are in the share of records labeled Auto and the insurance companies appearing in particular coverage fields. E-bikes and e-scooters add a small new dimension to the newer inventory.

​

For people seeking a Hawaii auto accident injury lawyer, this review illustrates the range of accident situations and insurance listings represented in the firm's records. An individual claim still depends on its own evidence and circumstances; these patterns do not predict its outcome.

​

How Our Firm's Records Fit into the Larger Hawaii Picture

​

Reviewing more than a decade of records helps identify recurring patterns in our practice. Measuring road safety across Hawaii requires a different source and a broader population.

​

For statewide fatality information, the Hawaii Department of Transportation's Safe Communities Program publishes preliminary traffic-fatality figures and links to safety data. Those figures concern fatalities and should not be treated as directly comparable to our injury-claim inventory.

​

Our records do not establish whether Hawaii roads became safer, whether any insurer gained statewide market share, or whether one island has more accidents than another. They also do not include the settlement and injury-severity data needed to compare outcomes between periods.

​

Speak With a Hawaii Auto Accident Injury Lawyer

​

Behind every accident claim is a person with questions about what happened and what comes next. A statistical pattern can provide perspective, but your own claim requires attention to its specific facts.

​

The Law Offices of David W. Barlow focuses on auto accident injury matters. If you are looking for a Hawaii auto accident injury lawyer, we invite you to discuss your situation with our firm.

​

Call 808-354-0464 or request a free consultation. You can also learn more about attorney David W. Barlow.

​

About This Analysis

​

This review uses the firm's accident inventories labeled “2013 to 2018” and “2019 to June 2026,” reviewed September 18, 2026. It combines 124 and 114 listed records, respectively. Period assignments follow the tab labels; individual accident dates and unique case identifiers were not supplied in these inventories.

​

Possible duplicate and overlapping records remain included. Totals describe inventory entries, not verified unique clients, cases, or crashes. No client names are presented. Percentages use all records in the relevant period, including two newer records with blank accident classifications, and are rounded to one decimal place. Percentage-point changes are calculated before rounding.

​

“Bike” is grouped with “Bicycle,” and the older misspelling “Negilgence” is standardized as “Negligence.” Other accident labels remain separate. “Auto” is retained as recorded, and the older bus entries remain separate. Each record's primary accident label is counted once; contributing factors in notes may overlap with other categories.

Because the periods differ in length and the inventories are not verified complete annual censuses, the comparisons describe the composition of the records rather than annual accident rates or the firm's total case volume.