The California Highway Patrol’s Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) for Memorial Day weekend wraps up tonight at 11:59 p.m., capping off four days of heightened traffic enforcement aimed at keeping holiday travelers safe across Southern California.
The MEP began Friday evening and included increased patrols, sobriety checkpoints, and saturation patrols across the state. CHP officers have been focusing on the most dangerous driving behaviors: speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and failure to wear seat belts.
This year, CHP also deployed “low-profile” vehicles – less visible patrol cars designed to help catch speeders and reckless drivers who might otherwise try to avoid detection.
The effort comes in response to troubling data from last year’s Memorial Day weekend, when 42 people were killed in crashes statewide. Nearly half of those victims were not wearing seat belts. In addition, more than 1,100 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the 2024 enforcement period.
The Memorial Day MEP is part of a broader CHP initiative that targets major holidays when traffic volume – and risky driving behavior – tends to spike. These operations are meant to deter dangerous driving through visibility and enforcement, and to encourage Californians to make safe choices behind the wheel.
As the holiday weekend winds down and travelers return home, drivers are reminded to stay alert, follow traffic laws, and always buckle up. The CHP will remain on the roads through the night, working to ensure that everyone makes it home safely.
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