19 motorists arrested for DUI on Big Island roads the week before Christmas

Nineteen motorists were arrested for driving under the influence during the week of Dec. 16-22.

According to a press release from Hawai‘i Island police, seven of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Two of the drivers were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 942 DUI arrests compared with 930 during the same period last year, an increase of 1.3%.

Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 963 major crashes so far this year, compared with 830 during the same time last year, an increase of 16%.

To date, there were 25 fatal crashes, resulting in 28 fatalities, compared with 14 fatal crashes, resulting in 15 fatalities for the same time last year. (The year-to-date fatal crashes is revised deleting one fatal crash on Nov. 9, which was inadvertently added as a multiple crash that had multiple deaths in its place.) This represents an increase of 78.6% for fatal crashes and 86.7% for fatalities.

In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is one, compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.