On the Big Island, efforts to curb intoxicated driving have yielded a reduction in DUI arrests, though concerns persist as overall traffic incidents rise. According to a recent report by the Hawai‘i Police Department, during the last week of September there were 21 motorists arrested for DUI. Despite these incidents, 2025 has seen a decrease in DUI arrests compared with the previous year.
Statistics show a total of 677 DUI arrests were made this year up to the present, marking an 8.02 percent dip compared to 736 in the same time frame last year. The most arrests occurred in Hilo and Kona districts, which combined, account for a significant portion of the overall arrests. To aggressively tackle the issue, authorities have decided to continuously deploy roadblocks and patrols across the island, as reported by the Hawai‘i Police Department.
However, while DUI incidents might be on a slow decline, Hawai‘i Island is experiencing an uptick in major crashes. The Hawai‘i Police Department's Traffic Services Section found that there have been 756 major crashes so far this year, slightly increasing by 2.72 percent from last year’s tally during the corresponding period.
Sixteen fatal crashes have led to 17 deaths this year, down from 21 crashes and 23 deaths last year. This represents to continue this positive trend, DUI checkpoints and patrols will persist across the island, aiming to maintain safety on the roads and prevent further loss of life, as per the Hawai‘i Police Department.
