O'ahu motorists are still speeding and driving drunk, despite a series of warnings and stepped-up police enforcement that resulted in 84 arrests for driving under the influence and 1,616 speeding tickets between March 1 and Saturday.

In the same week, Honolulu police also issued 60 traffic citations for excessive speeding — meaning drivers were traveling 30 mph or more over the posted speed limit, or 80 mph or faster. Four citations were issued for racing on a highway.

"People are not getting the message," police Maj. Frank Fujii said yesterday. "Please, we need your help. ... Be responsible for yourself and be responsible to the people you love."

Fujii's message was the third to O'ahu drivers this year and follows the deaths of three people who were killed in a one-car crash near the entrance to the Wilson Tunnel on Feb. 26.

James Krzywonski, 30, was driving his 2001 Audi at 100 mph with a blood alcohol level of .225 while carrying two intoxicated passengers, police said.

O'ahu has seen 17 fatal traffic accidents this year, compared with nine at the same time last year. More than half of this year's traffic deaths involved speeding, Fujii said.

"If you're going 45 mph in a residential area, that's too fast," Fujii said.

The deaths have come at all hours of the day and across O'ahu, he said.

"It's an islandwide problem," Fujii said. "... People are killing people on the roadways."

So drivers across O'ahu should expect to see more police checkpoints looking for impaired drivers and increased police efforts to stop speeding drivers, Fujii said, especially with St. Patrick's Day approaching next week.

"We're hoping the public will comply," he said. "That way we won't need any more task forces and we'll have a safer community."

Between March 1 and Saturday, Honolulu police also ticketed 69 people for seat-belt violations; 62 for pedestrian-related violations and 95 more for "hazardous moving," which included 84 red light violations and 12 for reckless driving.

Fines for traffic citations end up with the state and do not add to the city's budget, Fujii said.

"We don't enjoy citing people," Fujii said. "But if this is what it's going to take to change people's behavior, the community really has no other choice."

Honolulu police also plan to continue education programs aimed at military motorcycle drivers and elderly civilian pedestrians, Fujii said.