MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of August 30, 2010, through September 5, 2010, Big Island police arrested 31 motorists for drunk driving. Ten of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash. Two were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 1,043 DUI arrests compared with 940 during the same period last year, an increase of 11 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		7
North Hilo	0		3
South Hilo	7		364
Puna    	11		115
Ka'Å«    	0		42
Kona    	12		431
South Kohala	1		73
North Kohala	0		8

Island Total	31		1,043

There have been 927 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,090 during the same period last year, a decrease of 15 percent.

So far this year, there were 20 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 18 during the same period last year, an increase of 11.1 percent.

To date, 18 fatalities this year were related to drugs (10), alcohol (8) or a combination of both (5 of the 18).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.