Honolulu police have handed out nearly 2,000 citations since the state's new crosswalk law took effect last year, but state and police officials say awareness of the law is lagging and more time is needed before residents start changing the way they drive and walk.

"We need to change people's behaviors whether they are drivers or pedestrians. We're trying to educate the public on this new law and this is not something that is going to be done overnight," said Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

The crosswalk law, which went into effect last May, requires drivers to stop rather than yield whenever a pedestrian is in a crosswalk on the driver's side of the road or approaching it, and could result in fines and fees up to $97 for drivers who fail to stop.

Motorists ticketed for crosswalk violations pay $97 if they don't want to go to court. If a defendant goes to court, a judge has the discretion to impose a fine of up to $200 for a first offense within a year, $300 for a second and $500 for a third.

Despite television commercials featuring Honolulu police officers promoting the law and discussing penalties, some drivers are still unaware the law exists.

Wisdom Rasi'el, 24, of Manoa, said he did not know he could be pulled over and penalized for driving through a pedestrian-occupied crosswalk.

"If they're already in the crosswalk, I let them go," said Rasi'el, who works for the city. "I'm good. I'm a professional driver."

Benjamin Gates, a 27-year-old Honolulu man who works for a time-share company, said he did not know the law went into effect a year ago. He became aware of the law after reading a news article about a proposed increase in penalties.

"I guarantee a lot more people know about it now especially with the (proposed) fines," he said.

The House and Senate both defeated bills this session that would have stiffened penalties for crosswalk violations after lawmakers decided the new consequences were too tough. The bill would have fined motorists $150 and suspended their licenses for 90 days the first time they were caught violating the state's crosswalk law.

Two-time offenders would have faced a $300 fine and 180-day license suspension. Three infractions would force a driver to pay a minimum of $1,000, suffer a yearlong license suspension and a 30-day prison sentence.

State Rep. Blake Oshiro, D-33rd (Halawa, 'Aiea, Pearlridge), the vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the law passed in 2005 still needs time and exposure before drivers change their behavior.

"I've seen a few of the education efforts in terms of the commercials and I really think it is going to take a little more of that for people to start being aware," he said. "When the law passed last year, it really had been a high priority because we had so many pedestrian accidents and unfortunate deaths even though there were a lot of concerns about the clarity and the extent that the public would understand what is required of them."

Compared to the rest of the country, pedestrians in Hawai'i have good reason to look both ways before crossing the street.

Hawai'i has the seventh highest pedestrian fatality rate in the United States, a rate that was 24 percent higher than that for the rest of the country, according to a state Department of Health study that tracked pedestrian injuries and deaths from 2000 to 2004.

For every pedestrian killed in Hawai'i, there are approximately six who are hospitalized, and 12 who are treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries each year, according to the study. Almost half (48 percent) of the pedestrians who died were 65 years or older, and children younger than 15 had the highest rates for nonfatal injuries followed by seniors.

Nine pedestrians have been killed on O'ahu this year, compared with 29 in all of 2005 and 28 in 2004. Four of the nine were in crosswalks when they were hit.

"Unfortunately, there are pedestrians killed every year that had the right of way and were in the crosswalk," said Maj. Susan Dowsett, head of the Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division. "We always urge pedestrians to be very cognizant of their surroundings. Watch the drivers and engage their eyes prior to stepping out into the roadway even if you are in a crosswalk and have the right of way. Ensure that traffic has stopped before you proceed through the crosswalk."

Said Ishikawa, with DOT, "Pedestrians shouldn't take this new crosswalk law and think 'This is a force field that will protect me.' Pedestrians still need to look for oncoming traffic and not cross against the light."

Last year more than a third of Hawai'i's 36 pedestrian fatalities occurred at crosswalks.

Of the 1,625 injuries to pedestrians during the five years beginning in 1998, 68 percent were using crosswalks. The highest numbers of injuries were among those younger than 14 and older than 65.

Over the past five years, Hawai'i's pedestrian death rate has stood at an annual average of 2.1 deaths per every 100,000 residents.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.