MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of November 16, 2009, through November 23, 2009, Big Island police arrested 36 motorists for drunk driving. Three of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

So far this year, there have been 1,225 DUI arrests compared with 1,219 during the same period last year, an increase of 0.5 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		4
North Hilo	0		5
South Hilo	6		415
Puna    	2		139
Ka‘u    	1		44
Kona    	22		501
South Kohala	4		96
North Kohala	1		21

Island Total	36		1,225

There have been 1,385 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,575 during the same period last year, a decrease of 12.1 percent.

So far this year, there were 21 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 24 during the same period last year, a decrease of 12.5 percent.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.