CHP Launches Four-Day Crackdown on Inebriated Holiday Drivers

The Holidays are here with cheer, lights, gifts, and the California Highway Patrol’s Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP).

From Wednesday, November 27 through Sunday, December 1 the men and women of CHiPs will be on the lookout for unsafe driving practices and traffic law violations the kind which typify most Thanksgiving holidays.

During the MEP, the Highway Patrol will deploy all available officers to help ensure motorists get to their destinations safely.

“As millions of motorists head out for the Thanksgiving holiday, the CHP is prepared for one of the busiest travel weekends in America. Unfortunately, in the past, Thanksgiving has also been one of the deadlier holidays on our roadways,” CHP said in a post on the agency’s Facebook page.

Officers will be actively looking for unsafe driving practices, including impaired or distracted driving, unsafe speed, and vehicle occupants who fail to buckle up. Often, CHP officers will educate motorists about traffic safety laws throughout the state to ensure everyone has a safe holiday.

“Holiday travel can be stressful. By putting some simple safety measures in place, motorists can help keep themselves and others safe on the road this weekend,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said in the statement. “Most important, before you head out, ensure everyone inside the vehicle has their seat belt on, and if there are children along for the ride, check that they are secure in the back seat in the appropriate child safety seat.”

Based on CHP data from previous MEP implementation, 59 people were killed in collisions in California during the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Among the 42 vehicle occupants killed in collisions within CHP jurisdiction, 43 percent, or 18 people, were not wearing a seat belt.

“Research continues to show that wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest things people can do to stay safe when traveling in a vehicle,” the CHP said.

Data from the National Safety Council shows that the three biggest causes of fatalities on the road are alcohol, speeding and distracted driving, which is what CHP will be watching out for during the weekend.