CHP 4th Of July Maximum Enforcement As Officer Patrol Riverside County Roadways

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — California Highway Patrol officers are actively patrolling state highways and roads across Riverside County starting Thursday in a maximum enforcement effort to catch drunken and drug-impaired drivers as part of the agency's annual Fourth of July weekend crackdown.

Officers from the Beaumont, Blythe, Indio, Riverside, and Temecula CHP stations will deploy on Inland Empire freeways, highways, and unincorporated roads for this year's "maximum enforcement period," slated to begin at 6 p.m. Thursday and conclude at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

All available officers will hit the streets for targeted patrols during that time, according to the CHP Commissioner, Sean Duryee.

"Reckless driving and speeding have deadly consequences," Duryee said. "It's every driver's responsibility to make safe choices behind the wheel. Let's work together to prevent tragedies by always designating a sober driver and keeping our roads safe for everyone."

During last year's Independence Day maximum enforcement period, officers arrested 1,336 motorists on suspicion of DUI statewide, compared to 1,224 arrests that occurred during the 2023 campaign, according to the CHP.

Forty-nine people were killed in crashes within the CHP's jurisdiction during the 2024 Fourth of July weekend. That figure was 68 the year before.

Duryee said officers will take a zero-tolerance approach to any roadway actions that put other drivers at risk, with speeding being a significant focus.

A two-day enforcement action by the CHP in early June netted over 12,000 speeding citations statewide, according to the agency.

"Every additional mile per hour reduces a driver's reaction time and increases the severity of the crash," Duryee said previously.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and multiple municipal police departments throughout the county will conduct saturation patrols over the holiday weekend to apprehend DUI suspects and other lawbreakers.