MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of December 24, 2012, through December 31, 2012, Hawaiʻi Island police arrested 18 motorists for drunk driving. Three of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

For the year 2012, there have been 1,477 DUI arrests compared with 1,435 last year (2011), an increase of 2.9 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	0	 	18	 
North Hilo	0	 	4	 
South Hilo	7	 	588	 
Puna    	1	 	169	 
Ka’ū    	0	 	24	 
Kona    	7	 	572	 
South Kohala	3	 	89	 
North Kohala	0	 	13	 
Island Total:	18	 	1,477

There have been 1,455 major accidents compared with 1,409 last year (2011), an increase of 3.3 percent.

There were 38 traffic fatalities on Hawaiʻi Island compared with 22 fatalities last year (2011), an increase of 72.2 percent.

28 fatalities were related to drugs (12), alcohol (4), or a combination of both (12), compared with 20 fatalities last year (2011) related to drugs (5), alcohol (8), or a combination of both (7).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.