CHP Cracking Down On DUI Drivers Over Labor Day Weekend

CALIFORNIA – The California Highway Patrol is cracking down on motorists caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol this Labor Day weekend.

CHP officers are ramping up patrols on state highways Friday through Monday to catch impaired drivers and other traffic violators as part of the agency's annual Labor Day weekend crackdown. The CHP's "maximum enforcement period" is slated to start at 6:01 p.m. Friday and end at 11:59 p.m. Monday.

"Impaired driving remains one of the most serious traffic-related problems on our roadways today," CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said in a statement. "Let's end the summer safely and remember to designate a sober driver, wear your seat belt, and obey all traffic laws."

During last year's maximum enforcement period for Labor Day weekend, 30 people died on California roadways, according to the CHP. The CHP arrested more than 1,000 motorists on suspicion of DUI statewide throughout the holiday weekend.

The CHP's maximum enforcement period coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, which runs Aug. 17 through Sept. 3.

Also see:

• Free 'Tipsy Tows' Offered On Labor Day In California

Photo by Renee Schiavone/Patch