A fatal car crash Wednesday that killed a Waipahu woman and snarled traffic on the H-1 has Hawaii Sen. Will Espero questioning the Honolulu Police Department about the use of its helicopter and whether drones could be used instead.

According to KHON, the single-vehicle accident caused a nearly five hour lane closure that backed up traffic and frustrated drivers.

The TV station also reported that HPD closed the eastbound lanes of the highway to land its helicopter, which was being used to take aerial photos of the crash site.

HPD closed parts of H1 this week to investigate a crash scene.

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But in a Thursday email to Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and some of his top advisers, Espero, who heads the Senate’s public safety committee, suggested the department invest in aerial drones to do the picture taking.

Not only is a drone much cheaper than a helicopter, Espero said, but its more efficient, safer and probably wouldn’t require shutting down the freeway.

“The last thing we want to do is completely close off H1,” Espero wrote. “This tool or device would have been perfect for yesterday’s situation. I hope you will seriously look into this proposal.”

He added that the drones could be used by other Honolulu emergency responders, including lifeguards and firefighters.