The California Highway Patrol will provide increased enforcement during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest weekends on the road.
All available CHP officers will be on duty during the Labor Day Maximum Enforcement Period from 6:01 p.m. Friday, September 1 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 4, according to an August 29 press release from the agency.
CHP officers and drug recognition experts will be on patrol looking for impaired drivers and assisting motorists in need.
“Our officers will be out finding dangerous drivers during the holiday period, showing zero tolerance for anyone driving drunk or impaired by drugs,” CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Anyone who chooses to drive impaired puts not only themselves and their passengers at risk but they also endanger pedestrians, bicyclists and others on the road.”
During the Maximum Enforcement Period last year, 308 people were killed in traffic collisions across the state. That is an increase of nearly 19 percent from 2015, according to CHP data. CHP made over 1,000 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol over Labor Day weekend last year.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, impaired driving tends to peak during holidays and Labor Day is considered one of the most dangerous periods. During the Labor Day holiday in 2015, 460 people were killed in collisions across the country. Nearly one-third of the fatal collisions involved drunk drivers.
“The Labor Day holiday should be a special time for friends and families at the end of summer, not a time of tragedy,” Stanley said. “Impaired driving, whether as a result of drugs or alcohol, is 100 percent preventable and there is no excuse for it.”
Anyone who is going to drink is urged to plan a sober ride home in advance. Anyone who sees an impaired driver is encouraged to call 9-1-1.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
