SACRAMENTO, Calif.
– As a
new year approaches, all motorists can resolve to celebrate safely. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) would
like to remind everyone to buckle up, avoid distractions while behind the
wheel, and have a plan in place if you intend to consume alcohol or other
intoxicating substances.
For this New Year’s
Day Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP), the CHP will be deploying all available
personnel from 6:01 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, to 11:59 p.m. on
Wednesday, January 1, 2020. The CHP will
focus on impaired drivers, but officers will also watch for distracted driving,
speeding, and seat belt violations. As always,
our officers will be at the service of motorists in need of assistance.
To help keep the
roadways safe, the CHP is joining forces with five other Western states with
the slogan, “No safe place for impaired drivers,” to crack down on drunk and
drugged driving for the coming holiday weekend.
In partnership
with the National
Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the state patrols of Arizona,
California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington will work as a Western States
Traffic Safety Coalition to place special emphasis on the enforcement of
drug-impaired driving. The states will
jointly stress that driving under the influence means drugs as well as alcohol
in their educational efforts.
According to data
from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, during the 2018 New
Year’s MEP, which was 102 hours in length, at least 25 people were killed and
270 others were injured in collisions involving impaired drivers on California
roadways. In addition, CHP officers made
1,140 arrests for impaired driving during the same period.
“Please make smart
choices this holiday season. Driving
while impaired can have tragic results,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley
said. “Whether impaired by alcohol or
drugs, the result can lead to arrest, injury, or death. Either way, the impact will be life-altering.”
There is no reason
to place yourself behind the wheel while impaired. Have a plan.
Public transportation, taxis, ride-sharing, or a designated sober friend
or family member are the safe options.
The mission of the
CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
###
