HDOT Launches Eyes on the Road Dash Cam Volunteer Program

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation launched a pilot program today that supplies volunteer drivers with free dashboard cameras to capture video and images of road conditions. Called Eyes on the Road, the program is intended to provide HDOT maintenance crews with additional, on-the-ground footage that can help identify potholes, downed signage, debris, washouts and other hazards more rapidly than current inspection routines allow.

Volunteers who sign up will receive dash cams and instructions for uploading footage to support DOT maintenance operations. HDOT frames the effort as a low-cost method to extend the agency’s observational capacity, particularly in remote and rural areas where fixed cameras and regular inspections are less frequent. Hawaii County is specifically cited as an area that stands to benefit from increased citizen-collected data.

For residents, the immediate effect could be quicker responses on stretches of road that frequently suffer weather-related damage or delayed maintenance due to logistical challenges. More timely documentation of roadway problems can help crews prioritize work when budgets are constrained, directing limited funds to locations where evidence shows the greatest need. Local drivers who cover long rural routes may be particularly influential in flagging emerging hazards before they worsen.

The program raises several operational and policy considerations for HDOT and elected officials. Integrating volunteer-supplied footage into existing maintenance workflows will require clear protocols for receiving, validating and acting on incoming material. Data management procedures are necessary to address privacy concerns, chain of custody for evidence of dangerous conditions, and potential legal liability related to footage collection and use. Reliance on volunteer monitoring also poses equity questions about geographic coverage, since volunteer density will vary by community and could skew which roads receive attention.

Eyes on the Road represents a civic engagement opportunity that shifts some observational responsibilities onto the public while offering a practical tool for an agency that must stretch finite maintenance dollars. The initiative’s effectiveness will depend on how HDOT balances the program’s low-cost benefits with robust standards for data quality, transparent prioritization of repairs, and safeguards that protect residents’ privacy. Local officials and DOT managers will need to monitor outcomes and be prepared to adjust procedures to ensure the effort supplements, rather than substitutes for, sustained investment in roadway infrastructure.