As of Nov. 1, 36 people had been killed in 28 accidents on the Big Island, compared with 30 traffic deaths resulting from 27 crashes during the same period last year.

Of the 28 fatal crashes on the island as of Nov. 1, 10 were alcohol-related and 13 were drug-related, police said, resulting in the 82-percent impairment figure. Five of the fatal crashes involved both alcohol and drugs.

Speeding also was a factor in 15 of the fatal crashes and in 11 of the speed-related fatal crashes, either alcohol or drugs was also involved, police said. In 11 of the fatal crashes, or 38 percent, the victim was not wearing a seat belt.

Of the 28 fatal crashes:

• Thirteen were single-vehicle incidents in which a vehicle ran off the road and overturned, struck an object or struck an embankment and overturned.

• Nine occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. Of these, five involved alcohol, seven involved drugs and three involved both.

• Nineteen happened between 7 a.m. and midnight. Six of these crashes involved alcohol, eight involved drugs and two involved both alcohol and drugs.

In addition to the 36 recorded fatalities, six more people were killed in four crashes on private roads or streets and were recorded as nontraffic fatalities. Two of the four nontraffic fatalities involved drugs, and speeding was a factor in three of the four fatal crashes. In addition, none of the victims was wearing a seat belt.

Police Chief Larry K. Mahuna said he believes most of the traffic deaths could have been prevented.

"It's a sad comment that more than three-fourths of the traffic fatalities could have been avoided by simply refusing to get behind the wheel when you are drunk or high on drugs," he said.

"Even in these fatal crashes, many of the lives lost probably could have been saved by merely wearing a seat belt," he said.