HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION
LIEUTENANT ERNEST E. CORREIA
PHONE: 961-2225
DECEMBER 6, 1999
MEDIA RELEASE
During the week of November 29-December 5, 1999, Big Island police arrested 26 motorists for drunk driving. Twelve of the drivers were arrested for DUI after being involved in traffic accidents.
So far this year, there have been 1,116 DUI arrests, a 19 percent increase over the 938 arrested during the same period last year. During all of 1998, there was a total of 1,056 DUI arrests, then a record.
There were 51 major accidents during the week. They bring the total number of major accidents so far this year to 2,000, compared to 2,072 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3 percent.
There have been 28 traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 40 fatalities during the same period last year, a decrease of 30 percent.
Eight of the fatalities this year have been alcohol-related, compared to 14 at the same time last year, a decrease of 43 percent. Two of the fatalities this year were also drug-related.
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