Alcohol-related
road fatalities rise

As national rates fall, deaths
in Hawaii from drunken driving
jump 53 percent in 2003

Hawaii's alcohol-related traffic fatalities jumped 53 percent in 2003 from 2002, compared with a 3 percent drop nationally, the first decline since 1999, according to statistics released yesterday.

RISING AND FALLING Alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2002 and 2003: 2002 2003 Change Hawaii 47 72 +53% U.S. 17,524 17,013 -3% Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The state's drunken-driving deaths shot up to 72 from 47, while nationally they fell to 17,013 from 17,524, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows.

"For Hawaii, the paradise health state, it's discouraging and disheartening," said Carol McNamee, Hawaii spokeswoman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa attributed the dramatic rise to multiple-fatality crashes, citing nine such accidents in 2003 and two in 2002.

The number of alcohol-related fatalities has fluctuated in the last 22 years from as high as 99 in 1982 to as low as 43 in 1999. The 2002 figure was the second lowest in the last 22 years.

MADD publicized the fatality statistics yesterday as it promoted its Victims Support Services for victims of drunken driving and homicide, and their family and friends. The services include professional counseling and therapy.

At MADD's Honolulu office, Traci Jacob described her 20-year ordeal as a drunken-driving victim.

Jacob was a 19-year-old dance instructor on the mainland when she went partying with friends at a bar. Her 17-year-old friend was driving home drunk with five others in the car and ran into a telephone pole.

"My right arm was hanging out the window, and the telephone pole just pulled it off," said Jacob, who was the only one hospitalized. She lost her hand and a few inches of her arm, had a crushed pelvis and a broken jaw, but the brain damage was the worst of it.

Jacob said she was in a coma for 2 1/2 months and could not speak for 7 1/2 months. Although she regained her memory, the year prior to the accident has been "wiped clean."

She moved to Hawaii, where her mother lived, and went to the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific, spending more than 11 months hospitalized and in rehab.

"I grew up all over again here," said Jacob, who had to learn to chew, walk and talk. The accident was 20 years ago in Wisconsin.

Today, Jacob, 39, speaks slowly with a slight slur, uses a wheelchair and has finally gone back to college. She counts herself fortunate, considering what could have happened.

"Young people think it can't happen to them," Jacob said.

To cut down drunken-driving fatalities, the Transportation Department, county police departments and MADD will start a "52/12" program in October to spread out sobriety checkpoints throughout the year. For 52 weeks, 12 months a year, each county's police department will have one checkpoint for a week, rather than just during holidays.

Capt. Jose Gaytan of Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division said police have been trying new ways to combat drunken driving. Citations rose 7 percent to 2,341 in 2003, compared with 2,188 in 2002.

"To have blanket coverage of police officers, we cannot do that," he said. "High publicity seems to play the greatest role when it is backed up by credible enforcement."