1 Killed, 5 Injured in Shuttle Bus Accident at Kaka’ako Pier 2 in Honolulu, HI

Honolulu, HI — April 12, 2024, one person was killed and at least five were injured after a shuttle bus accident at Pier 2 in the Kaka’ako area.

According to current statements, emergency responders went at around 10:30 a.m. to the scene at the Pier 2 Cruise Terminal along Ala Moana Boulevard off Punchbowl Street.

Initial details about the accident say that the shuttle bus was in the process of dropping off passengers at the time. It appears the bus began to move from a stop, and the driver had to get back into the driver’s seat to stop it. In trying to do so, however, authorities say the driver accidentally hit the gas pedal, and the bus lurched forward and hit multiple pedestrians and a barrier.

As a result of the accident, a 68-yeear-old woman involved in the accident died following transport to a hospital. Four others were said to be in serious condition while a fifth was in apparently stable condition. Others with possible injuries reportedly declined medical transport.

Right now, additional details about the accident are unavailable.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

With a situation like this, it’s critical to consider whether this was an isolated, individual mistake or rather the result of predictable and preventable issues. Anytime there’s a commercial vehicle involved in an accident, there’s always the added challenge of a driver’s employer possibly contributing to the crash through their own behavior.

For example, with the company that owns this bus, could there be underlying problems with how drivers are trained? Did this all start because of a maintenance oversight? Has the company responsible for this bus been involved in accidents like this in the past? Could this all stem from issues a simple background check would catch?

While this all could fall on the shoulders of an individual, it’s essential to explore all possibilities after an accident like this. Not only would the victims and families involved deserve answers about who and what caused their hardships, but there could also be conditions putting others in danger that need to be remedied.