In the wake of four deaths involving elderly pedestrians in a nine-day span, Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday renewed a call for tougher penalties for motorists who ignore the state's crosswalk law.

Speaking before a memorial erected on the state Capitol lawn in memory of the 32 pedestrians killed statewide last year, Lingle lamented their loss while again calling for jail time and license revocation for those who violate the crosswalk law. Lingle proposed the same measure last year, but it failed to pass through the Legislature.

"Every single time a senior citizen in particular is killed on our roadways I think of my grandparents immediately and the sense of loss that would strike anyone in that situation," Lingle said. "We pay a lot of attention to drug and alcohol abuse and those are important issues, but this is a situation where people are losing their lives for going from one end of a street to another, and it has got to stop."

The governor's announcement comes after four fatal pedestrian accidents, three of which involved senior citizens crossing the street, in the first two weeks of the year.

Honolulu police officers assigned to the department's Traffic Division are working with state and city officials to identify problem areas, engineering deficiencies and to establish enforcement practices.

"We need to take some action to stop what's happening," Police Chief Boisse Correa said. "It's affecting our elderly population, and that's one of our major concerns. Any time anyone dies or is injured, it's a concern to us, and we have to pay attention and address it immediately."

In 2006, 32 pedestrians were killed on Hawai'i's roadways, five of them involving people who were in marked crosswalks. There were 36 pedestrian deaths statewide in 2005, 31 in 2004, 23 in 2003, and 33 in 2002.

On Monday, 81-year-old Fe Bulahan was killed on North King Street near Iwilei Road after she was hit by a van in a crosswalk.

In Jae Kim, 81, was killed Saturday while crossing outside a crosswalk on Young Street, near Pi'ikoi Street.

On Friday, 75-year-old Floyd Girven of 'Ewa died after being struck in a crosswalk by a car while crossing Renton Road near 'Auwaha Street, police said.

Rika Rosenberg, 72, died after she was struck by a taxi while sitting at a bus stop on Kalakaua Avenue near Makaloa Street on Jan. 7.

Pedestrians accounted for 20 of O'ahu's 90 traffic deaths in 2006; 28 of 78 fatalities in 2005; 24 of 71 deaths in 2004, and 13 of 75 fatalities in 2003.

Under state law, drivers must yield when pedestrians are on the same half of the roadway or are approaching or are in the crosswalk.

Drivers who violate the current law face fines of up to $200 for the first offense, up to $300 for the second offense and up to $500 for the third offense.

Under Lingle's proposed legislation, drivers who violate the state's crosswalk law the first time would be fined up to $150 and have their driver's license suspended for at least 90 days. For a second offense, drivers would be fined a minimum of $300 and undergo a 180-day license revocation.

A third violation would bring a minimum fine of $1,000, license revocation for one year and 30 days in jail.

Barbara Kim Stanton, Hawai'i state director for the AARP, knows first-hand how dangerous Hawai'i's roads are.

Three years ago, Stanton was hit by a car and thrown to the ground in the parking lot of an O'ahu shopping center.

"Hawai'i already has the distinction as the most dangerous place to walk in America for people over the age of 60, and for every pedestrian killed, there are dozens that are injured," Stanton said yesterday. "It's not just about increasing fines, it's awareness. Every community should be looking at their community and trying to identify the danger spots."

"Every 10 days we see a pedestrian killed, and I think we can certainly do better," said Barry Fukunaga, director of the state Department of Transportation. "Four fatalities to start the new year is an ominous situation, and we need to take this seriously."

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.