CHP prepares for traditionally busy travel weekend with max
patrols
The number of Californians with holiday plans that will take
them more than 50 miles from home is down compared with last year
by 2.7 percent, according to a survey by AAA Northern
California.
CHP prepares for traditionally busy travel weekend with max patrols
The number of Californians with holiday plans that will take them more than 50 miles from home is down compared with last year by 2.7 percent, according to a survey by AAA Northern California.
Planned travel by motor vehicles is down 3.2 percent, with boat or train transportation down by 1.7 percent.
“Many Americans remain cautious about the outlook for their personal finances, and those attitudes are reflected in the slight decline in travel we are forecasting for the upcoming holiday weekend,” said Cynthia Harris, a spokeswoman for AAA.
Air travel is expected to be up by 1.9 percent. Airfare over the weekend was expected to decrease by as much as 16 percent from last year.
Even with people staying closer to home, 3.7 million Californians will still be on local roads, and the California Highway Patrol has set the weekend as a maximum enforcement period. All available officers will patrol the roadways during the MEP, which begins at 6 p.m. today and extends until midnight on Sunday.
“Plan ahead and allow extra time for travel on busy roads, buckle up before you head out and don’t speed,” said Joe Farrow, CHP commissioner, in a press release. “Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or react to hazards in the roadway.”
Last year over the three-day, Fourth of July weekend, 41 people died on California’s roadways, according to the CHP. Nearly half of those killed in CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and one motorcyclist who died was without a helmet.
“Many of those deaths could have been easily avoided by taking a moment to buckle a seat belt,” Farrow said, in a press release. “Proper safety equipment takes a moment to secure and can make all the difference between walking away from a crash, or being carried away on a stretcher.”
In addition to speeders and those who fail to buckle up, officers will be looking for drivers under the influence. Last year, over the Fourth of July holiday, CHP officers arrested 1,684 people statewide for DUI.
“If you’re going to drink, do not drive,” Farrow said. “And equally important, don’t get into a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking. Plan ahead and designate a non-drinking driver.”
The Independence Day MEP is also an Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (CARE) holiday. Operation CARE is a joint program of the nation’s highway patrols that places special safety emphasis on interstate highways during holiday periods.
CARE highways in California include Interstates 80, 40, 15 and 5.
Tips for travel
– Service vehicles before starting a road trip
– Minimize weight for better fuel economy by packing just what is needed, and keep luggage inside the car rather on the roof where it will create resistance
– Travel early in the day, or plan travel to hit metropolitan areas during light traffic times, and pause often to avoid fatigue.
– Consider a GPS navigation device for directions
– Calculate a specific budget for fuel costs
