As a trauma nurse, I see firsthand the consequences of not wearing a helmet.

Imagine arriving in Hawaii for your dream vacation. You see pristine white-sand beaches, hear the crash of crystal-blue waves, smell the salty air and feel the warm tropical wind on your face while cruising on a moped or motorcycle. Now imagine that’s the last thing you remember before waking up in a hospital bed, if you’re lucky. Too many won’t wake up at all.

“If only he was wearing a helmet.” As a nurse in Hawaiʻi’s only Level 1 trauma center, I hear that phrase daily from nurses, providers, and surgeons. Hawaiʻi is one of the most dangerous states in the Pacific region, and among the most dangerous in the U.S., for two-wheeled vehicle riders.

In 2022, 33 people died in similar crashes; only nine were wearin

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