MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of October 6, 2009, through October 12, 2009, Big Island police arrested 28 motorists for drunk driving. Seven of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash. Three of the drivers were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 1,056 DUI arrests compared with 1,068 during the same period last year, a decrease of 1.1 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		4
South Hilo	11		356
Puna    	4		123
Ka‘u    	0		37
Kona    	13		438
South Kohala	0		76
North Kohala	0		19

Island Total	28		1,056

There have been 1,202 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,387 during the same period last year, a decrease of 13.3 percent.

So far this year, there were 19 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 19 during the same period last year.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.