The Hawaiʻi County Police Department and the County of Hawai‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney are teaming up to remind the public that April is Alcohol Awareness Month. In conjunction with a national effort, HPD officers, staff from the Prosecuting Attorney’s office, sheriffs from the Department of Public Safety, personnel from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, along with volunteers from local businesses will hold a sign waiving event in Hilo reminding motorists to drive sober on April 23, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., fronting Walmart along Māmalahoa Highway.

Established in 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month was developed in order to increase awareness and understanding of one of our country’s top public health problems: alcoholism. Recent studies have shown that alcohol use has increased since the pandemic began. So far in 2021, there have been 384 DUI arrests in Hawai‘i County compared to 281 during the same time in 2020, an increase of 36.7 percent.

Hawai‘i County police also remind motorists to contact them if they come across a vehicle that’s driving erratic or appears to be operated by a driver who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.