MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of January 6, 2009, through January 12, 2009, Big Island police arrested 20 motorists for drunk driving. Four of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash. Four were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 40 DUI arrests compared with 33 during the same period last year, an increase of 21.2 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hamakua	        0		0
North Hilo	0		0
South Hilo	3		7
Puna	        2		5
Ka'u	        2		2
Kona	       11	       22
South Kohala	2		4
North Kohala	0		0
Island Total   20	       40

There have been 24 major accidents so far this year compared with 56 during the same period last year, a decrease of 57.1 percent.

So far this year, there has been one traffic fatality on the Big Island compared with one during the same period last year.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

During 2008, Big Island police arrested 1,395 motorists for drunk driving compared with 1,413 during 2007. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District

District       Yearly Total
Hamakua            13
North Hilo          4
South Hilo        467
Puna              133
Ka'u               30
Kona              611
South Kohala      111
North Kohala       26
Island Total    1,395

There were 1,716 major accidents in 2008 compared with 2,171 in 2007, a decrease of 21 percent.

There were 27 traffic fatalities in 2008 compared with 37 the previous year, a decrease of 27 percent.