Hawaiʻi Police Department
Traffic Services Section
Torey D. Keltner, Program Manager
Phone: (808) 961-2305
Media Release
This holiday season, the Hawaiʻi Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind all drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving. We’ll be working together to remind everyone of the importance of planning a sober ride home before heading out to enjoy the holiday festivities and en route to seasonal travel destinations. This holiday season, and every day, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.
Our community has already been greatly impacted by people who have died this year due to a number of vehicle crashes. We really don’t want anyone injured or killed, especially during the holidays. We all must do our part to have safe driving habits and obey the traffic laws. We know that everyone is rushing around, finishing last minute errands and attending holiday parties. However none of that is more important than the safety of you, your family and friends.
Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem, for men and for women alike. If drivers are impaired by any substance — alcohol or other drugs — they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is illegal in all states to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. Remember: Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It’s that simple.
According to NHTSA, 37,133 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017, and 29% (10,874) of those fatalities occurred in crashes during which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08. In fact, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December 2017 alone. The holidays prove to be extra dangerous to drivers, as more people — drivers and pedestrians alike — are out on the roads.
Hawaiʻi Police Department Officers are extensively trained and very dedicated to preventing intoxicated drivers from traveling on our roadways. This holiday season they will be out patrolling and searching for drivers who are under the influence. If you are caught driving under the influence you will be arrested. If you see a drunk driver please call the police department immediately. We would much rather catch a driver in the act than call their family and let them know they were involved in a fatal crash.
The Hawaiʻi Police Department asks you to help spread the word to please drive with aloha, slow down, wear your seatbelt, and don’t drink and drive. Even one drink is one drink too many. If you plan to drink alcohol or use substances like marijuana don’t drive. Remember that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”
