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MEN AGAINST VIOLENCE

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

UPDATE ON CRIME

mv-Friday November 23, 2007 By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa Variety News Staff

233 DUI arrests so far this year

POLICE arrested 227 persons on Saipan, one on Tinian and five on Rota in DUI incidents from

January to October this year, according to the Department of Public Safety.

DPS said Saipan also recorded one alcohol related fatality.
In 2006, 354 people were arrested for DUI and one pedestrian died as a result of an intoxicated driver.

In 2005, there were 414 DUI arrests and five alcohol-related fatalities.
DPS said traffic fatalities nationwide in alcohol-related crashes fell by 0.2 percent from 16,919 in 2004 to 16,885 in 2005.

In 2006, 42,642 people were killed in motor vehicle accident and 13,470 of those were alcohol related.

In December 2006, there were 1,076 traffic fatalities nationwide.

On Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez designated December as CNMI Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
The proclamation stated that “although the holidays bring joy in celebrations with family and friends, they also bring a tragic increase in the incidence of impaired driving.”

The public is encouraged to drive free of the influence of alcohol or drugs and to prevent others from driving under the influence to help save lives.
DPS said it will intensify its campaign against impaired driving starting on Thanksgiving by increasing patrols targeting impaired drivers and conducting sobriety checkpoints.