Christmas ‘maximum enforcement’ begins in California: Here’s what to know

The ‘maximum enforcement period’ begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. FILE PHOTO

LOS ANGELES – Drive safe and sober during the Christmas holiday, or face consequences, the California Highway Patrol has warned.

The agency will initiate its annual Christmastime “maximum enforcement period” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, when all available officers will deploy to catch drunken or drug-impaired drivers, speeders and other scofflaws.

The MEP will conclude on Wednesday night, lasting about 30 hours.

“This time of year is about celebrating with family and friends, but it’s also a time when traffic incidents increase due to poor driving decisions,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “Each of us has a role in making California’s roads safer. Let’s work together to keep this Holiday Season free of tragedy.”

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During last year’s Christmas MEP, CHP officers statewide arrested just over 900 motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence, compared to 639 the year before. The 2023 campaign spanned a full three days and nights because Christmas fell on a Monday. Midweek enforcement campaigns are always shorter.

According to the agency, 20 people died in crashes within the CHP’s jurisdiction during Christmas weekend 2023.

Officers from CHP stations statewide will be on inland freeways, highways and unincorporated roads, looking to snare traffic violators.

The Sheriff’s Department in counties across the state, along with multiple municipal agencies, are currently conducting their own operations, staffing sobriety checkpoints and deploying targeted patrols as part of a year-end enforcement mobilization.

Another MEP is slated for New Year’s Eve.

Holiday travel safety tips 

With millions of travelers expected on the roads during this holiday travel period, the American Automobile Association urges drivers to prioritize safety with the following tips:

• Follow posted speed limits: Speeding may feel faster but doesn’t make that much difference and the risk isn’t worth it.
• Drive only when alert and refreshed: Driving on 4 or 5 hours of sleep is as dangerous as driving with a 0.08 blood alcohol level, AAA said. If you get less than 4 hours of sleep, the risk doubles.
• Slow down, move over: All 50 states and Washington D.C. have Move Over laws.