The Labor Day weekend is here, and many residents are preparing to close out the summer with a road trip or other special celebration. In anticipation of the increased traffic that often accompanies a holiday weekend, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will implement a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP). The holiday enforcement effort began yesterday evening and continues through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 6. Reporter Ernest Figueroa has the details on this weekend’s enforcement period…
To help keep motorists safe, officers will focus on removing impaired drivers from the road. Impairment can be caused by more than just alcohol – it also comes from cannabis, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs, or a combination of any of these.
Traffic safety efforts by the CHP during the 2020 Labor Day weekend resulted in more than 900 arrests for driving under the influence. Sadly, 46 people died in crashes throughout California that weekend – many of whom were not wearing a seat belt.
All CHP officers and sergeants have received additional training on detecting impaired drivers. California also has the nation’s highest number of Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) – an officer specifically trained to identify drug impairment. During the upcoming holiday weekend, DREs will be on duty throughout the state.
If you suspect that a driver is impaired, keep your distance and call 9-1-1. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher with a complete description of the vehicle, license plate number, location, and direction of travel.
