HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION
SERGEANT DEXTER VERIATO
PHONE: 961-2305
JANUARY 3, 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
During the week of December 26,2006 – December 31, 2006, Big Island police arrested 32 motorists for drunk driving. Four of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes and three were under the age of 21.
There were 1,275 DUI arrests in 2006 compared with 1,086 in 2005, an increase of 17 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:
| District | Weekly Total | Year to Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hamakua | 0 | 8 |
| North Hilo | 0 | 4 |
| South Hilo | 12 | 348 |
| Puna | 4 | 133 |
| Ka’u | 0 | 42 |
| Kona | 15 | 653 |
| South Kohala | 0 | 75 |
| North Kohala | 1 | 12 |
| Island Total | 32 | 1,275 |
There were 2,449 major accidents in 2006 compared with 2,396 during the same period the previous year, an increase of 2 percent.
There were 33 traffic fatalities on the Big Island in 2006 compared with 36 during the same period the previous year, a decrease of 8 percent.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.
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