Drunken Driving Arrests Outpace 2011 Numbers

The number of drunken driving arrests on the Big Island continues to outpace those at this time in 2011, police said today.

Big Island police made 23 arrests for driving under the influence last week, bringing the total for the year to 419. There were 398 arrests at this time last year.

Eleven of the arrests last week were in Kona, bringing to 170 the total there in 2012. Nine of the arrests occurred in South Hilo, which has had 151 DUI arrests this year.

Four of the drivers arrested last week were involved in traffic accidents. Two were under the age of 21.

There have been 432 major traffic accidents so far this year, a 5% increase over the same period in 2011.

Fatalities so far in 2012 total 11, including four motorcycle deaths. Two of the fatalities were related to drugs, police said.

There were eight traffic deaths at this time last year.