WAILUKU – The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Vision Zero Maui team is looking for focus group participants that are currently underrepresented in its data collection to complete a lineup of road safety ambassadors sharing their experiences and comments on how to keep our Maui roads safe.

The purpose of the focus group is to eliminate data gaps and make sure to be inclusive in the research, which will have an impact in the final action plan.

No more than 15 participants may sign up for each of the following categories:

GROUP A: Transit dependent (Maui Bus riders);

GROUP B: Native Hawaiian, Micronesian, other Minority Groups;

GROUP C: Youth (under 30) and Seniors (60 and over);

GROUP D: Persons with disabilities;

GROUP E: Remote districts like Hana, Napili.

Meetings will be arranged once the seats have been filled and may be conducted online via Zoom.

Sign up no later than Sept. 1 at mauimpo.org/visionzeromaui.

“This is an opportunity to share your stories, suggestions and thoughts on how we can improve road safety on Maui – a goal that we can only achieve by working together as a community,” said Lauren Armstrong, Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization executive director.

“Your input will help us craft an action plan that will help guide our transportation landscape for years to come.”

Since the launch of the public engagement phase of Vision Zero Maui last month, many are learning about how traffic crashes are preventable by proper road design, enforcement and policy.

Most survey respondents have expressed concerns about the lack of bike lanes and sidewalks.

Some guide questions that will be asked include:

How do you travel on Maui? What travel mode do you use most often?

Have you personally been, or had a friend or family member, involved in a traffic-related incident or “near miss”?

Would you be willing to share your story?

In your opinion, which behaviors most contribute to traffic safety issues on Maui?

What are your top infrastructure-related concerns about Maui streets?

With the Vision Zero Maui initiative, the only acceptable number of traffic fatalities and serious injuries is ZERO.