HOUR AS OFFICIALS INVESTIGATED. THAT SCENE WAS CLEAR BY FIVE. OFFICERS WILL BE OUT IN FULL FORCE PATROLLING THE ROADWAYS STARTING TONIGHT. THE CHP IS LAUNCHING ITS MEMORIAL DAY MAXIMUM ENFORCEMENT PERIOD. IT STARTS AT 6:00 TONIGHT AND ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. MONDAY. OFFICERS WILL FOCUS ON SEAT BELTS THIS YEAR WHILE ALSO LOOKING FOR DRUNKEN DRIVERS. EVEN WITH PATROLS RAMPED UP, THOUGH, THEY CAN’T BE EVERYWHERE. SO HERE’S WHAT THEY SAY YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU SEE A POSSIBLE DRUNK DRIVER. IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY WEAVING IN THE ROADWAY, DON’T. DON’T TRY TO PASS THEM. JUST STAY BACK. IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ON BLUETOOTH OR YOU HAVE A PASSENGER, CALL 911, GIVE US A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHERE YOU ARE AND THE VEHICLE THAT YOU’RE, YOU’RE WATCHING A LICENSE PLATE IF YOU CAN GET IT. BUT AGAIN, WE DON’T WANT YOU TO PUT YOURSELVES IN ANY MORE DANGER BY TRYING TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR US. DURING LAST YEAR’S MEMORIAL DAY ENFORCEMENT PERIOD, 29 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN CRASHES ACROSS THE STATE. NINE WERE CAUGHT NOT WEARI
CHP prepares to increase presence on California highways this Memorial Day weekend
California Highway Patrol aims to keep the busy roadways safe this holiday weekend by launching a “Maximum Enforcement” period, cracking down on missing seatbelts and drunk driving.
Updated: 2:16 PM PDT May 22, 2026
The California Highway Patrol aims to keep the busy roadways safe this Memorial Day weekend by launching a “Maximum Enforcement” period, cracking down on missing seat belts and drunk driving. Officers will patrol in full force starting at 6 p.m. Friday, and this year, there will be extra focus on seat belt enforcement. During last year’s Memorial Day enforcement period, there were 29 crash-involved deaths across the state. Nine of the people killed were not wearing seatbelts. Even with more officers on the road, CHP says there are some things you can do if you see a possible drunk driver. “Don’t try to pass them, just stay back. If you have the ability to on Bluetooth or you have a passenger, call 911, give us a good description of where you are and the vehicle that you’re watching, a license plate if you can get it,” Michael Harper, a CHP spokesperson, said. “But again, we don’t want you to put yourselves in any more danger by trying to get that information for us.” Last year, officers made more than 1,100 DUI arrests. The Memorial Day enforcement period is set to last until 11:59 p.m. Monday night. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
, Calif. —
The California Highway Patrol aims to keep the busy roadways safe this Memorial Day weekend by launching a “Maximum Enforcement” period, cracking down on missing seat belts and drunk driving.
Officers will patrol in full force starting at 6 p.m. Friday, and this year, there will be extra focus on seat belt enforcement.
During last year’s Memorial Day enforcement period, there were 29 crash-involved deaths across the state. Nine of the people killed were not wearing seatbelts.
Even with more officers on the road, CHP says there are some things you can do if you see a possible drunk driver.
“Don’t try to pass them, just stay back. If you have the ability to on Bluetooth or you have a passenger, call 911, give us a good description of where you are and the vehicle that you’re watching, a license plate if you can get it,” Michael Harper, a CHP spokesperson, said. “But again, we don’t want you to put yourselves in any more danger by trying to get that information for us.”
Last year, officers made more than 1,100 DUI arrests.
The Memorial Day enforcement period is set to last until 11:59 p.m. Monday night.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel