MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of March 14, 2011, through March 20, 2011, Big Island police arrested 20 motorists for drunk driving. Five of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Three were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 303 DUI arrests compared with 349 during the same period last year, a decrease of 13.2 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		2
North Hilo	0		1
South Hilo	5		105
Puna    	2		47
Ka'Å«    	1		4
Kona    	10		128
South Kohala	2		16
North Kohala	0		0

Island Total	20		303

There have been 294 major accidents so far this year compared with 319 during the same period last year, a decrease of of 7.8 percent.

So far this year, there were six traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with eight fatalities during the same period last year, a decrease of 25 percent.

So far, the six fatalities this year were not related to drugs only (0), alcohol only (0) or a combination of both (0 of the 6).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.