CHP begins ‘maximum enforcement period’ during Thanksgiving weekend

SAN DIEGO – California Highway Patrol is stepping up enforcement in the San Diego area and statewide as part of the annual effort to keep reckless drivers off the road during Thanksgiving week.

CHP does this during all the major holidays, but officers say Thanksgiving tends to be one of the busiest times.

“Thanksgiving ranks pretty high with interaction because it is the busiest holiday for travel, so you’re going have the most cars out there,” said CHP Officer Jake Sanchez. “Whenever you have the most vehicles on the road, we’re going to be the most active.”

CHP began the maximum enforcement period on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and it will run through Sunday at midnight.

Locally, San Diego had two DUI-related fatalities during this time last year, but statewide 37 people were killed in crashes in CHP’s jurisdiction. Nearly 9,000 citations were given for speed and seatbelt violations during the four-day period.

“Seatbelts, and that’s a huge one, 50% of our fatalities are seatbelt related,” said Sanchez.

All available CHP officers will be on duty, scouting freeways and roads with special attention to intoxicated drivers.

“We had over 111 DUI arrests in that time period last year, but it was over 1,000 statewide,” said Sanchez.

Maximum enforcement or not, law enforcement is sending the very important reminder to not drink and drive.

“If you’re going to go out, make the decision before hand not to take a vehicle because if you do the likelihood is you’re going to make a bad choice, make the wrong choice,” said Sanchez.