The California Highway Patrol is urging drivers to take special caution behind the wheel during the weekend's busiest travel days of the year. The start of the holiday season brings increased long distance driving, angry motorists stalled in traffic, and greater alcohol consumption - all dangerous elements to road conditions. Every available CHP officer in the state will be patrolling the highways beginning at 6pm on Wednesday through midnight Sunday in an effort to cut down on the main factors that cause collisions - speeding, unsafe lane changes, reckless driving, and drunk driving.
Last year's Thanksgiving holiday brought a total of 43 deaths throughout the state, and CHP determined that fatigue was the main cause of the deadly accidents. So far, so good this year.
"Nothing this year as of yet because we're in the maximum enforcement period," said Offc. Jim Ward of the California Highway Patrol on Thursday afternoon.
But drunk driving arrests have been up in the Bay area and throughout the state this year. In the rush into Thanksgiving Wednesday night, CHP officers in the Bay area made 56 drunk driving arrests, up from 30 last year. Statewide the numbers for Wednesday night was 271, up from 253 last year. "I guess people just forget," said Ward, adding that the amount of CHP enforcement was the same last year.
The San Mateo Police Department and Burlingame Police Department reported no DUI arrests Wednesday night. Like many police departments throughout the state, SMPD ran a DUI checkpoint on Friday night and will be doing more throughout the December holiday season.
Although the roads were smooth sailing during the rush into Thanksgiving, CHP urges travelers to expect delays this weekend. Ward said, "If you have to drive at all, just leave enough time and have patience."
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