CHP on high alert for Labor Day weekend

The Calfornia Highway Patrol is implementing a Maximum Enforcement Period for the 2012 Labor Day weekend.

The MEP for the CHP begins Friday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. through Monday, Sept. 3, at 11:59 p.m. All available officers will be on patrol cracking down on impaired drivers, speeders, and those who are a danger to themselves and others on the state’s roadways.

The CHP averages around 1,500 arrests for impaired driving every Labor Day MEP. During last year’s Labor Day weekend, 29 people were killed in traffic collisions across California, a 38 percent increase from the previous year.

“It is very disheartening to know that 19 people lost their lives last Labor Day weekend as a result of not wearing their seat belt,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “What a tremendous price to pay for something that is entirely preventable.”

The CHP offers the following safety tips to help keep drivers and motorcycle riders safe during this holiday weekend:

 

 

 

 

• Designate a non-drinking driver in advance or plan for alternative transportation if you will be consuming alcohol. If hosting a party, provide non-alcoholic drinks for the designated driver.

   

 

 

 

 

 

• Buckle up or wear proper safety equipment, depending on your mode of travel.

   

 

 

 

 

 

• Establish and enforce a distraction-free zone behind the wheel.

   

 

 

 

 

 

• Leave plenty of time to get to your destination, so you are not speeding to get somewhere.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Get plenty of rest and, if possible, coordinate with your passengers so that no one is driving while fatigued.

   

• Call 9-1-1 to report any suspected drunk driver.

   

 

“Impaired driving is more than a social issue, it is a criminal issue,” said Commissioner Farrow. “The CHP will be out in force, working hard to remove impaired drivers and motorcycle riders from the roads. Our goal is for everyone to get safely to their destination.”