Maui Police Issue 1,297 Traffic Citations During Drive Sober Campaign

Pictured from left to right: Officer Alvin OTA, Officer Ryan EHLERS, Sergeant Nick KRAU,
Officer Carl EGUIA, and Officer Rusty IOKIA. Photo courtesy the Maui Police Department.

Maui police issued 1,297 traffic citations during the 18-day Drive Sober or Get Pulled over campaign that began on Aug. 19, and concluded on Sept. 5, 2016.

Maui police partnered with the State Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the campaign, which is aimed at preventing traffic crashes that result in death, injury and economic loss due to impaired driving.

During the campaign, police set up 11 intoxication control checkpoints in various locations throughout Maui County. In addition, police increased dedicated traffic enforcement saturation patrols using both marked and unmarked police vehicles.

Police say all traffic laws were strictly enforced during the campaign with an emphasis being placed on impaired driving. The results of this enhanced traffic enforcement campaign are as follows:

Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant arrests = 52
Uninsured Motorist citations issued = 170
Driving without a driver’s license citations issued = 133
Speeding citations issued = 222
Mobile Electronic Device (cell phone) citations issued = 68
Miscellaneous traffic violation citations issued = 704
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Total Traffic Citations issued = 1,297

“Although the Nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign has come to an end, the mission of the Maui Police Department’s Traffic Section has not,” said Sergeant Nicholas Krau with the Maui Police Department’s DUI Task Force Unit.

“Officers will continue to patrol our roadways around the clock and strictly enforce all traffic laws. Intoxication Control Checkpoints will be utilized throughout our community on randomly selected nights at various locations,” said Sgt. Krau.

“Too many families have already been devastated by the tragic, preventable deaths of loved ones in impaired driver-involved crashes. We want to put an end to these tragedies. We participated in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign because we wanted to send a strong message: The Maui Police Department will not tolerate impaired driving in our community. Our goal is to gain the voluntary compliance of all traffic laws by presenting an unmistakable show of force and arresting impaired drivers who put lives at risk. We’re hoping to get our point across,” he said.

On behalf of the Maui Police Department’s Traffic Section and DUI Task Force Unit, Sgt. Krau thanked those members of our community who have been supportive of the department’s traffic enforcement efforts. He also took the opportunity to thank those who have helped us by driving responsibly and also using or being a designated driver.