MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of December 23, 2008, through December 29, 2008, Big Island police arrested 30 motorists for drunk driving. Six of the drivers were involved in a traffic crash. Two were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 1,387 DUI arrests compared with 1,388 during the same period last year, an increase of .07 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hamakua	        0		 13
North Hilo	0		  4
South Hilo	7		464
Puna	        2		133
Ka‘u	        0		 30
Kona	       19		607
South Kohala	2		111
North Kohala	0		 25

Island Total	30		1,387

There have been 1,708 major accidents so far this year compared with 2,157 during the same period last year, a decrease of 21 percent.

So far this year, there have been 27 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 37 during the same period last year, a decrease of 27 percent.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.