Nearly 500 Drunk Driving Arrests Made over New Year’s Holiday
According to KTLA, there were 491 DUI arrests made from 6:00 pm New Year’s Eve until 11:59 pm New Year’s Day by California Highway Patrol (CHP). In addition to the nearly 500 drunk driving arrests made during this period there were three people killed in alcohol-related crashes. The arrests were made during CHP’s maximum enforcement period.
The previous year’s New Year’s maximum enforcement period lasted significantly longer. Over the course of 102 hours, CHP officers arrested 1,140 people on suspicion of driving under the influence. As reported by VC Star, 25 people were killed in DUI-related crashes and 270 people were injured. The cost for a first-time misdemeanor DUI conviction in California can exceed $20,000 once “fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs” are taken into consideration.
Due to the high number of alcohol-related fatal crashes, each year the CHP and other law enforcement agencies put more officers on the road. State and federal funding allow for added security measures including saturation patrol officers, DUI and license checkpoints and more officers on the roads.
Law enforcement officers want to remind everyone that impaired driving is not limited to alcohol. Whether you are impaired by drugs or alcohol, it is dangerous to get behind a wheel. Too many lives are lost each year to completely preventable accidents. Driving Under the Influence is a problem in California and across the United States, making it more important than ever to choose a safe alternative. If you choose to drink always designate a sober driver, use a ride-sharing app or take public transportation.