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Hawaii Tribune-Herald Hilo, Hawaii Page 2 of 2 drivers involved in fatal crashes on the Big Island, and 20 of those drivers were killed in the crash. In 2003, there were 17 impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes, and 9 of the drivers were killed in the accidents. Police are doing what they can to curb the deaths, Veriato said. As of Aug. 21, there were 781 DUI arrests on the Big Island. Of those arrests, 241 were in Hilo and 83 were in Puna, according to the police department. There were 1,069 total DUI arrests on the island in 2005. Of those, 263 were in Hilo and 166 were in Puna. 2006 saw an increase in DUI arrests on the island. There were 1,275 arrests made. Of those, 352 were in Hilo and 133 were in Puna. Jackie Murat, traffic safety coordinator for the Hawaii County Police Department, said the state is trying new ways to raise awareness and keep drunken drivers off the roads. She said commercials are being aired on radio stations, police are trying to raise awareness among high school students, and victim's families are speaking out about the consequences of drinking and driving. She said the department is also working with the criminal justice system to develop ways to keep drunken drivers off the roads. Veriato said the county has issued cab coupons aim?d at getting drinkers off the road, and many establishments are participating in a designated driver program, where free soft drinks are provided to the person responsible for getting others home safely. He said a Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter has also been started at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. "You don't have to be a drunk driver to be killed. Innocent people get killed by drunk drivers," Veriato said. "You need to be a responsible person and have a designated driver." Terrie Henderson can be reached at thenderson~hawaiitribune-herald.com. All rights reserved. Copyright ~ 2007 Hawaii Tribune Herald. Content on this site may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of Hawaii Tribune Herald. Close Window lx.l ~r~ http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2007/09/O1/local news/loca103.prt 9/4/2007