Local motorists apparently did not listen to warnings from the
California Highway Patrol about drunken driving, since the CHP
reported a small increase in arrests for driving under the
influence over Thanksgiving weekend.
Local motorists apparently did not listen to warnings from the California Highway Patrol about drunken driving, since the CHP reported a small increase in arrests for driving under the influence over Thanksgiving weekend.
The CHP arrested 15 motorists during the holiday weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence as part of a special crackdown on drinking and driving.
The arrests, made between 6 p.m. Nov. 27 and midnight Monday, were one more than the 14 arrests for suspicion of DUI during the same period in 2001, the CHP said.
CHP officers were out in force on local highways with a heavy emphasis on enforcing DUI laws, along with keeping an eye out for the reported 9 percent of the population that fails to use seat belts or properly buckle up their children.
There were no local fatalities, but statewide statistics noted 23 fatal accidents on California roads in which 29 people were killed. Over the same period in 2001 there were 19 fatal accidents, killing 22 people.
Eighteen of the 29 victims statewide were not wearing seat belts, according to state statistics.
CHP officials said Highway 25 is on pace to exceed the number of injury accidents reported last year.
With about two months left in the year, there have been 45 reported injury accidents on Highway 25 in San Benito County. Last year there were 48 injury accidents on the county’s portion of the highway.
