MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of July 28, 2009, through August 3, 2009, Big Island police arrested 30 motorists for drunk driving. Eight of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. One was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 819 DUI arrests compared with 829 during the same period last year, a decrease of 1.2 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District     Weekly Total   Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		2
South Hilo	16		257
Puna    	3		102
Ka‘u    	2		30
Kona    	7		341
South Kohala	2		67
North Kohala	0		17

Island Total  30	    819

There have been 924 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,066 during the same period last year, a decrease of 13.3 percent.

So far this year, there were 13 (one fatality was reclassified) traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 14 during the same period last year, a decrease of 7.1 percent.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.