HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION
LIEUTENANT ERNEST E. CORREIA
PHONE: 961-2225
DECEMBER 20, 1999
MEDIA RELEASE
During the week of December 13-19, 1999, Big Island police arrested 21 motorists for drunk driving. Two of the drivers were arrested for DUI after being involved in traffic accidents.
So far this year, there have been 1,158 DUI arrests, an 15 percent increase over the 1,004 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 47 major accidents during the week. They bring the total number of major accidents so far this year to 2,098, compared to 2,136 during the same period last year, a decrease of 2 percent.
There have been 30 traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year, compared to 43 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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