Hawaii Police Department
Traffic Services Section
Sergeant Kelly Kaaumoana-Matsumoto
Phone: 961-2305
January 18, 2007

Media Release

Big Island police made 1,411 drunk driving arrests last year, an increase of 18 percent over the 1,293 (revised total) arrested in 2006, according to statistics released by the Traffic Services Section.

Of the drivers arrested for DUI last year, 353 were involved in traffic crashes and 145 were under the age of 21.

The numbers of arrests by district were:

Police recorded 2,170 major accidents last year, compared with 2,453 during the same period in 2006, a decrease of 12 percent.

Police recorded 37 traffic fatalities on the Big Island last year compared with 33 for the previous year, an increase of 12 percent.

Fifteen of the fatalities were attributed to drunk driving , compared with 14 in 2006, an increase of 7 percent. Eight of last year’s fatalities were drug related, compared with 12 in 2006, a decrease of 33 percent. Four of the fatalities were drug and alcohol related last year compared with five in 2006, a decrease of 20 percent.

Police said the final counts of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities may increase slightly after pending reports are completed.

The number of fatal crashes increased in 2007 to 37 compared with 33 the year before for an increase of 12 percent.

Last year, two of the victims were younger than 21 compared with six in 2006, a decrease of 500 percent.

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