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The California Highway Patrol (CHP) recently issued a press release about their upcoming efforts to keep roads safe on New Year’s Eve. They will be conducting a holiday weekend Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) to usher in the new year. The MEP will begin at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, December 31, 2021 and run until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 2, 2022.  

They will be on the lookout for impaired drivers in an effort to keep roads safe for motorists in California. Drivers can expect to see increased patrols on various roadways throughout the state. Not only will all available units be out patrolling the roads, the CHP also wants to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving.  

Last Year’s New Year’s Day MEP 

Last year, during the New Year’s Day MEP, 56 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the State of California. During that holiday MEP, CHP officers made 709 arrests for driving under the influence. Only about half of the people killed in last year’s crashes were buckled up at the time of the crash, so CHP officials also want to remind people to buckle up for every trip. 

Buckling up needs to be on everybody’s non-negotiable new year’s resolution list. It doesn’t matter if you’re going across your neighborhood or across town. Buckle up for every trip, every time, because it’s the single most effective way to protect yourself in the event of a crash.  

Multi-Agency Effort to Improve Safety During Holiday Weekend 

The CHP isn’t the only organization making efforts to improve roadway safety for the upcoming holiday weekend. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a variety of other public safety and law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are all teaming up to get all available personnel out on the roads. They’ll be on the lookout for drunk drivers and also raising awareness about the importance of driving sober and buckling up.  

The team at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. wishes everybody a Safe and Happy New Year’s Eve, and if you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a car accident caused by a distracted or impaired driver in San Diego or anywhere in Southern California, contact our office at 1.800.GO.HARRIS for a free case consultation.