Bay Area CHP Begins 'Maximum Enforcement Period'

BAY AREA, CA — The California Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for impaired and reckless drivers this Labor Day weekend across the Bay Area as part of its annual effort to maximize enforcement over the three-day weekend.

At least 43 people were killed in vehicle crashes on California roadways during the holiday weekend last year, CHP officials wrote in a statement.

The CHP's maximum enforcement period will run from 6 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday. All available CHP officers will be scouting local freeways and roadways for those who may be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the agency said.

Last year, CHP officers arrested 985 motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence — an uptick of 85 arrests from the previous year.

"Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving continues to be a leading cause of traffic fatalities and injuries in California, and the moment an impaired driver gets behind the wheel, they put themselves and every other person on the road in great danger," CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said in a statement.

"The CHP is committed to enforcement and non-enforcement strategies, including education and community engagement, to ensure the highest level of safety for everyone traveling throughout California during the holiday," Ray continued.

CHP officers are reportedly certified to spot those under the influence of marijuana and other non-alcohol intoxicants, officials with the agency said.

The efforts coincide with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's ongoing "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" nationwide campaign. Authorities urge anyone who sees an impaired driver to dial 911.

The holiday and three-day weekend tends to inspire dangerous conditions for drivers. Labor Day weekend ranks as the deadliest summer holiday for traffic fatalities and California is among the deadliest states for drivers over the holiday weekend, according to a study from car insurance application Jerry.

The Golden State is also home to three of the most dangerous roads in the country, according to the report, which drew data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

State Route-132 in Stanislaus County, Interstate-5 in Los Angeles County and Palm Drive in Riverside were listed as one of the 10 most dangerous roads to drive in the country over the holiday weekend.

According to Jerry, California has seen the most Labor Day traffic deaths in people aged 16-25 from 2011 to 2020. Behind the most populous state was Texas and Florida, the second and third most populous states.