Drunk drivers destroy lives on Oahu roads every night. A driver leaves a bar after too many drinks, convinces themselves they can make it home, and gets behind the wheel. Their reaction time slows, judgment fails, and they cross the center line or run a red light. Lives shatter in an instant.
In 2023, alcohol-impaired driving accounted for 32% of all traffic fatalities nationwide. In 2022, 43 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Hawaii—representing 42% of all state traffic fatalities, exceeding the national average. Hawaii law enforcement made over 3,500 DUI arrests statewide in 2023, yet drunk drivers continue to gamble with innocent lives.
When a drunk driver injures you or kills someone you love, our Oahu car accident lawyer at Recovery Law Center stands with you. Our attorneys understand Hawaii’s DUI laws, know how to prove impairment, and hold drunk drivers accountable while you focus on healing.
Hawaii’s Drunk Driving Laws
Hawaii has enacted some of the strictest DUI laws in the nation:
Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits:
- 0.08% or higher for drivers 21 and older
- 0.02% for drivers under 21 (zero-tolerance policy)
- 0.04% for commercial drivers
Administrative License Revocation: Failing a breath test or refusing one results in immediate license suspension from six months to one year for first-time offenders.
Criminal Penalties:
- First offense: $150-$1,000 fines, 48 hours to 5 days jail, one-year license revocation, 72 hours community service, substance abuse treatment, ignition interlock device
- Second offense: $500-$1,500 fines, 5-30 days jail, 18 months to 2 years license revocation, 80 hours community service, mandatory ignition interlock for 2 years
- Third and subsequent: Felony charges with up to 5 years prison time
Highly Intoxicated Driver Law: BAC of 0.15% or higher triggers enhanced penalties including longer jail sentences, higher fines, and extended ignition interlock requirements.
Dram Shop Laws: Hawaii holds bars, restaurants, and stores liable when they serve visibly intoxicated patrons who then cause accidents, providing additional sources of compensation.
Common Causes of Drunk Driving Accidents in Oahu
- Bar and Restaurant Districts: Waikiki’s entertainment district and Chinatown’s nightlife produce numerous drunk driving accidents as tourists and locals drink then drive rental cars or personal vehicles.
- Late-Night Highway Crashes: The H1, H2, and H3 freeways see serious drunk driving accidents during late-night hours as impaired drivers travel at highway speeds, fall asleep, or drift across lanes. The winding Pali and Likelike Highways present additional dangers.
- Tourist-Related Drunk Driving: Visitors rent cars, drink at resort bars, underestimate impairment, and drive unfamiliar roads while intoxicated.
- Repeat Offender Crashes: Drivers with multiple DUI convictions continue driving despite license suspensions until they cause serious accidents.
Injuries from Drunk Driving Accidents
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Head trauma from steering wheel, dashboard, or window impacts cause concussions, memory problems, personality changes, and cognitive impairments requiring years of rehabilitation and loss of work ability.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Fractured or dislocated vertebrae cause cervical spine injuries (quadriplegia) or thoracic/lumbar injuries (paraplegia), requiring assistance with all daily activities.
- Broken Bones and Fractures: Femur, hip, pelvic, facial, and rib fractures from impact forces require extensive surgery and cause severe pain.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma lacerates livers, tears spleens, and damages kidneys, causing life-threatening internal bleeding requiring emergency surgery.
- Psychological Trauma: PTSD, flashbacks, driving anxiety, depression, and relationship impacts affect victims long after physical injuries heal.
Proving a Drunk Driving Case
- Police Reports and DUI Arrest Records: Officers document impairment observations (slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, alcohol odor), failed field sobriety tests, breathalyzer results, and BAC measurements.
- Blood Alcohol Test Results: Hospital blood tests provide accurate BAC measurements. Results of 0.08% or higher prove law violations, while results above 0.15% show extreme intoxication supporting punitive damages.
- Witness Statements: Other motorists who saw weaving, bartenders who served numerous drinks, and bar/restaurant witnesses help prove dram shop liability.
- Accident Reconstruction: Expert witnesses analyze physical evidence to demonstrate how drunk drivers caused crashes and how sober drivers would have avoided them.
- Social Media Evidence: Posts from bars or parties with time stamps shortly before crashes prove intoxication.
Compensation for Drunk Driving Accident Victims
- Medical Expenses: Emergency treatment, ambulance transport, trauma surgery, hospitalization, doctor appointments, specialists, therapy, medications, medical equipment, and future care calculated by life care planners.
- Lost Income and Earning Capacity: Immediate lost wages, missed work during recovery, inability to return to physically demanding jobs, brain injury prevention of complex duties, and lifetime earning losses calculated by economic experts.
- Property Damage: Vehicle repair or replacement, rental cars, and damaged personal property.
- Pain and Suffering: Chronic pain, reduced mobility, loss of independence, inability to enjoy activities, and permanently diminished quality of life.
- Emotional Distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, therapy and counseling costs, and mental anguish.
- Loss of Consortium: Family members’ loss of companionship, intimacy, support, and time as they become caregivers.
- Punitive Damages: Hawaii courts award punitive damages in drunk driving cases to punish extremely reckless behavior and deter future drunk driving. Factors supporting awards include high BAC, prior DUI convictions, excessive speed with intoxication, driving with suspended license, and causing serious injuries or death. Awards can sometimes exceed compensatory damages.
- Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the deceased’s pain and suffering before death.
Steps to Take After a Drunk Driving Accident
Immediately:
- Call 911 and tell police if you smell alcohol or observe impairment signs
- Seek emergency medical attention and follow all treatment recommendations
- Document everything with photos (vehicles, injuries, scene, location, time, weather)
- Collect drunk driver information (name, contact, license, insurance)
- Get witness names and phone numbers, ask if they noticed impairment
- Note drunk driver’s condition (slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, alcohol odor, unsteady gait) and tell police
- Do not give recorded statements to insurance companies
- Do not discuss accident with drunk driver or argue about fault
After the Scene:
- Attend all scheduled medical appointments for consistent care proving severity
- Keep detailed records (medical bills, lost work time, pain journal, injury photos)
- Avoid social media posts about the accident
- Contact an attorney immediately—evidence disappears quickly
How Recovery Law Center Proves Drunk Driving Cases
- Immediate Investigation: We respond quickly to photograph crash sites, identify surveillance cameras, and interview witnesses before evidence disappears.
- Complete Documentation: We obtain police reports, DUI arrest records, field sobriety test results, breathalyzer results, blood alcohol test results from police and hospitals, and all criminal prosecution evidence.
- Dram Shop Investigation: We investigate bars or restaurants that over-served the driver by interviewing employees, obtaining surveillance footage, and subpoenaing credit card records to access additional insurance coverage often worth millions.
- Expert Consultation: Accident reconstruction experts demonstrate causation, toxicology experts testify about alcohol impairment, medical experts explain injuries, and economic experts calculate lifetime losses.
- Prior DUI History: We research the drunk driver’s complete driving record to prove patterns of reckless behavior supporting punitive damages.
- Insurance Investigation: We obtain complete insurance policies, identify all coverage including umbrella policies, investigate employer liability, and review your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
What Our Clients Say
Mary Ellen O’Connor: “Glenn is a caring attorney. If you need an injury lawyer you have the right place with Recovery Law Center.”
Cory Wilson: “The entire team at Recovery Law Center went above and beyond to take care of me and my family after my wreck. They were caring and I would highly recommend them.”
Joseph Steinfeld: “RLC attorneys care about their clients and will always work in your best interest. I have been privileged to work with Glen Honda and his staff for more than 2 years as a co-counsel in many Maui fire cases and there are no better advocates for the rights of the injured.”
Areas We Serve on Oahu
Honolulu, Waikiki, Pearl City, Kailua, Kaneohe, Waipahu, Mililani, Aiea, Wahiawa, Kapolei, Hawaii Kai, Downtown Honolulu, North Shore, Haleiwa, Waianae, Ewa Beach, West Oahu, Central Oahu, and surrounding areas.
Contact an Experienced Oahu Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
A drunk driver changed your life forever. You face mounting medical bills, cannot work, and endure constant pain—all because someone chose to drink and drive. Our Oahu personal injury lawyers at Recovery Law Center has fought for drunk driving victims across Oahu for years. We understand Hawaii’s DUI laws, know how to prove intoxication and negligence, and maximize compensation through punitive damages and dram shop claims.
You pay nothing unless we win. We offer free consultations to evaluate your claim and explain your rights. The sooner we start, the stronger your evidence becomes.
Call Recovery Law Center today for your free consultation.
Located in Honolulu, serving all of Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prove the other driver was drunk?
We obtain police reports documenting field sobriety tests and breathalyzer results, blood alcohol test results from hospitals, DUI arrest and criminal court records, and witness observations of impairment.
Can I sue the bar that served the drunk driver?
Yes. Hawaii’s dram shop laws hold bars and restaurants liable when they serve visibly intoxicated patrons who then cause accidents. We investigate whether establishments over-served the driver, and dram shop claims provide additional insurance coverage beyond personal policies.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Hawaii?
Two years from the accident date. Missing this deadline bars recovery forever. Contact an attorney immediately.
What if the drunk driver didn’t have insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries up to your policy limits. We help you file claims and fight for full payment.
Can I get punitive damages?
Yes. Drunk driving qualifies for punitive damages under Hawaii law. Courts award these when drivers show conscious disregard for safety. High BAC, prior DUIs, excessive speed, and serious injuries support substantial awards that can double or triple total recovery.
Should I accept the insurance company’s settlement offer?
No. Initial offers rarely account for future medical needs, minimize pain and suffering, and avoid punitive damages. We often recover several times more than initial offers.
