Kaua'i police this year will increase their use of sobriety checkpoints and enforcement of speeding violations.

"Last year, there were nine traffic fatalities on Kaua'i, in which four were alcohol-related," said Lt. Mark Scribner in a Kaua'i County news release. "This year we've already had eight traffic deaths; we need to greatly reduce these statistics."

Under the state's "52/12 - You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" campaign, each county has pledged to staff at least one sobriety checkpoint per week.

The campaign will be bolstered by a media campaign warning residents that the counties seek a reduction in drunk driving year-round, not just on holidays.