Question: Is there a 30-day grace period where you can still drive on an expired license?

Answer: No. You may not use your Hawaii driver’s license past its expiration date, unless you are a member of the U.S. military (or attached dependent) who was deployed on active duty outside the country when it expired. In that case, your license remains valid for 90 days after you return to the United States, per Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 286-106.5.

Service members citing that exemption when they renew their driver’s license must bring an original or certified copy of their deployment papers to show the date of return, duration and place of deployment, according to the city’s Department of Customer Services.

Drivers without the military exemption do have 90 days after the expiration date to renew their Hawaii license without penalty, but “penalty” refers to administrative fees, not tickets for driving with an expired license. To be clear, these licenses are not valid during the 90-day period.

Failing to renew within that period brings a reactivation fee of $5 per 30 days or fraction thereof after the 90-day period, according to DCS. If you renew a year after the expiration date, a written test and a road test will be required, according to the department.

Q: I believe it was announced that the state of Hawaii had settled a lawsuit over those faulty airbags. Does any of the money go to affected consumers? If so, how do we get our share?

A: No, nothing will be paid directly to consumers, said William Nhieu, a spokesman for the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, which announced the settlement with Takata Corp. and its U.S. subsidiary, TK Holdings Inc., on May 16.

Hawaii, which claimed in its 2016 lawsuit that Takata engaged in unlawful practices in the marketing and sale of dangerous airbags installed in vehicles sold in Hawaii and elsewhere, was later joined in the suit by the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico.

Takata, which is in bankruptcy, agreed to pay the three a total of about $7 million to settle all claims. Hawaii is expected to receive the biggest share, about $3 million.

“The settlement will be used by the Office of Consumer Protection for continued consumer protection purposes. This current settlement does not include direct restitution to general consumers,” Nhieu said.

Hawaii also has sued Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Ford, stating that the automakers knew or should have known for more than a decade that the airbags installed in their cars could explode. The lawsuits against the automakers continue, according to the DCCA news release announcing the Takata settlement.

The use of Takata’s ammonium nitrate-propelled airbags led to the largest recall in automotive history, involving more than 40 million vehicles in the U.S., the news release said. The chemical propellant can be volatile, especially in hot and humid climates, which can hasten its breakdown and cause it to explode.

Although flawed airbags have been replaced in many Hawaii vehicles, not all affected owners have scheduled the free repair with their car dealer. Consumers who are unsure whether their car has been recalled can check safercar.gov or ask their dealer. If the repair is needed, schedule an appointment as soon as possible, the DCCA advises.

Mahalo

A big, huge mahalo to John Lee for finding my car keys at the airport. The fact that he took the time to turn them in to lost and found is so heartwarming. I will pay it forward! Warmest regards with much appreciation. — An airport worker

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