Millions of Golden State residents will take to the roads for the Fourth of July weekend, and the California Highway Patrol is making sure people get to where they need to go safely.
That will be done with a CHP Heavy Enforcement Period — which is when all available CHP officers are out “in full force” to crack down on dangerous driving, CHP said in a media release.
“All available CHP officers will be out in full force throughout the holiday weekend, focusing on impaired distracted and aggressive drivers,” CHP’s media release said. “The goal is simple: to save lives.”
State police released data that showed a recent 24-hour enforcement period that took place from 6 a.m. on June 7 to 5:59 a.m. June 8 led to over 18,000 citations being issued.
Of those 18,000 citations, more than 12,100 were for excessive speed. Nearly 860 were for distracted driving and almost 500 for seatbelt violations.
During that same period, nearly 400 arrests were made for DUI. A total of 11 people died in crashes throughout that time as well, CHP said.
“Reckless driving and speeding have deadly consequences, [and] it’s every driver’s responsibility to make safe choices behind the wheel,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “Let’s work together to prevent tragedies by always designating a sober driver and keeping our roads safe for everyone.”
All motorists are urged to buckle up, slow down and designate a sober driver.