CHP is expecting fewer drivers but more speeders over the Fourth of July weekend

California Highway Patrol officers will be out in force this Fourth of July weekend for a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) extending from Friday at 6 p.m. until Sunday at midnight.

“Should the upcoming weekend include a road trip, stay safe and healthy with a few additional precautions,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Obeying speed limits, buckling up, and not driving impaired or distracted will be more important than ever.”

Traffic has been lighter in California since the coronavirus surfaced and the state issued a stay-at-home advisory, according to the CHP. And fewer-than-normal cars will likely be on roads and freeways this weekend with public health officials urging Californians to avoid traveling long distances for vacation or pleasure.

But those fewer drivers may be going a lot faster than usual.

Officials say citations for excessive speed have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first 30 days of California’s stay-at-home order, citations for excessive speeding jumped by 87 percent, according to the CHP, Caltrans and the state Office of Traffic Safety.

As a result, speeding violations will be a focus for the CHP this weekend, after officers issued 458 citations for speeding over 100 mph during this year’s Memorial Day maximum enforcement period. The Memorial Day citations marked a 173 percent increase in speeding tickets from the same period in 2019, according to the CHP.

Driving under the influence is another big focus. DUI arrests have remained relatively consistent for Fourth of July in recent years.

In 2018, the CHP made 389 arrests for driving under the influence over the 30-hour Fourth of July MEP. In 2019, when the MEP lasted 102 hours, CHP made 1,317 arrests for DUI. For both years, CHP officers made an average of almost 13 arrests per hour.

Thirty-six people lost their lives over the Fourth of July MEP last year, 21 of them in CHP jurisdiction. Out of those 21, more than half were not wearing a seat belt.

“However you choose to celebrate the weekend, do it without putting yourself or others at risk,” Commissioner Stanley said.

This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 2:08 PM with the headline "CHP is expecting fewer drivers but more speeders over the Fourth of July weekend."