§634-33  Service in cases of operation of
motor vehicles.  The use and operation by any person, whether a resident or
a nonresident of the State, of any motor vehicle upon a public highway in this
State shall subject the person to the jurisdiction of the courts of this State
in any action or proceeding against the person growing out of any accident or
collision in which the person and the motor vehicle so used and operated may be
involved.  The use and operation of the motor vehicle is deemed a signification
of the person's agreement that any summons against the person which is served
is of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the person personally
within this State, whether the person is a nonresident of this State or at the
time a cause of action arises is a resident of this State but subsequently
becomes a nonresident of this State.  Service of such summons is to be made as
provided by section 634-36, if the defendant cannot be found in the State.



This section shall not be construed as repealing
or amending any other provision of law relating to the service of process nor
as establishing an exclusive method of service of process in cases to which
this section may apply. [L 1953, c 167, §§1, 2; RL 1955, §230-33; am L 1959, c
15, §1; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §15; am L 1963, c 114, §3; am L 1965, c 86, §1;
HRS §634-69; am L 1972, c 89, §2A(l); ren HRS §634-33; am L 1982, c 204, §8; am
L 1983, c 124, §17; am L 1984, c 209, §2; gen ch 1985]



 



Cross References



 



  Nonresident violator compact, see chapter 291A.



 



Case Notes



 



  Section 657-18 did not apply to toll the no-fault statute of
limitations where a nonresident motorist defendant was at all times subject to
the jurisdiction of Hawaii's courts and amenable to service of process under
its long-arm statutes as set forth in §634-36 and this section.  89 H. 1, 967
P.2d 1059.