The Labor Day weekend is a Maximum Enforcement Period for the California Highway Patrol and, starting this evening (Friday) at 6pm and through Monday at midnight, every available officer will be on the road. CHP officers will be on the lookout for violators of the three major causes of highway deaths: speeding, drinking and driving, and not wearing seatbelts. Last year, 40 people died statewide on Labor Day weekend on California highways; of those killed within the CHP’s jurisdiction, more than half were not wearing seatbelts. In a statement from CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow, he says, “Make sure that you and your family safely wrap up a great summer. Observe all laws, drive defensively, and buckle up your loved ones.” Per the CHP, motorists can help assure their own safety by adhering to the following: buckle up, driver and all occupants, every time on every trip; observe all speed limits; never mix alcohol and driving, so choose a designated driver or be one for your passengers; and if you are making a long drive, leave early, make frequent rest stops to stay alert, and do not let delays change your driving behavior. The CHP’s Maximum Enforcement Period is, again, in effect from 6pm Friday through midnight on Labor Day.
Update: The CHP will also be conducting a sobriety/driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location on San Bernardino mountain roads on Sunday, September 6, between 6pm and midnight. The CHP says that drivers under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs can expect to be arrested.