DUI Arrests Down; Traffic Fatalities at 2012 Pace

Driving under the influence arrests this year on the Big Island are running 6% behind 2012 numbers, according to the latest statistics provided by the Hawaii Police Department.

During the week ending Sunday, April 14, there were 28 arrests for drunken driving, including two persons under the age of 21. Five of those drivers were involved in traffic crashes.

That brought the DUI arrest tally for 2013 to 389, compared to 414 for the same period last year.

The South Hilo district had the most arrests last week with 13, bringing the total for the year to 143. The nine arrests in Kona raised that district’s total to 167.

Police said the number of major accidents is down 15.6% for the year, at 367. There were 435 major accidents at this point in 2012.

After a spike in traffic fatalities earlier this year, that tally now stands at 11, the same as last year.

One of the fatalities this year was related to drug use while two others were related to a combination of drugs and alcohol.