The California Highway Patrol plans to intensify its enforcement in the San Diego area and statewide over the Memorial Day weekend starting Friday night, with a full staffing of officers on the lookout for motorists driving while intoxicated or otherwise making the roadways unsafe.
The CHP's annual "maximum enforcement period" for the unofficial start-of-summer holiday will begin at 6 p.m. Friday and continue through 11:59 p.m. Monday, the state agency advised this week.
"This holiday, motorists can expect to see additional CHP officers patrolling California's roadways," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. "Our primary focus will be to enhance public safety, deter unsafe driving behavior and, when necessary, take appropriate enforcement action."
In addition to their efforts to get DUI offenders off the road, CHP personnel will be keeping an extra-sharp watch for traffic violations that often lead to serious injury or death, such as failure to wear a seat belt, speeding and distracted driving, according to the Highway Patrol.
"Keep yourself and others who are on the road safe by designating a sober driver or using a ride-share service," Duryee said. "If you see or suspect an impaired driver, call 911 immediately. Your phone call may save someone's life."
CHP officers made nearly 900 DUI arrests statewide over last year's Memorial Day weekend. During the three-day period, 45 people were killed in traffic crashes statewide — a nearly 30% increase from the comparable time span in 2021, the CHP reported.
