MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of May 9, 2011, through May 15, 2011, Big Island police arrested 30 motorists for drunk driving. Three of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

So far this year, there have been 550 DUI arrests compared with 576 during the same period last year, a decrease of 4.5 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		1
South Hilo	12		205
Puna    	2		69
Ka'Å«    	1		8
Kona    	14		236
South Kohala	1		27
North Kohala	0		1

Island Total	30		550

There have been 511 major accidents so far this year compared with 525 during the same period last year, a decrease of of 2.7 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.