MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of April 25, 2011, through May 1, 2011, Big Island police arrested 32 motorists for drunk driving. Three of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Two were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 468 DUI arrests compared with 522 during the same period last year, a decrease of 10.3 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	1		3
North Hilo	0		1
South Hilo	14		175
Puna    	4		62
Ka'Å«    	0		7
Kona    	13		194
South Kohala	0		25
North Kohala	0		1

Island Total	32		468

There have been 455 major accidents so far this year compared with 476 during the same period last year, a decrease of of 4.4 percent.

So far this year, there were eight traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 10 fatalities during the same period last year, a decrease of 20 percent.

To date, four fatalities this year were related to drugs only (2), alcohol only (1) or a combination of both (1 of the 8).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.