CHP's Memorial Day 2013 Crackdown: DUIs, Speeding, Seat Belts

By Jennifer Vigil

You really need to start watching your highway P's and Q's at 6 p.m.

Starting Friday evening and continuing through midnight Monday, May 27, Memorial Day – the California Highway Patrol will be out in force.

Of course, you should be taking care all the time, but on this unofficial opening to Summer 2013, the CHP is launching what it calls the Memorial Day Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP). 

Yep, it's like a military operation and patrolmen will be focused on three violations:

• Speeding
• Lack of seat belt restraints
• DUIs

“The CHP’s primary mission is to prevent the loss of life. We will accomplish this through education and enforcement,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow in a statement. “We want you to enjoy and celebrate, but we ask you to do it responsibly.” 

Here's the statewide Memorial Day stats from 2012:

• 25 highway deaths – more than half weren't wearing seat belts.
• 1,300 arrests for DUI.