On Labor Day the CHP will increase their enforcement patrols

[view:node_ad=5]Despite a media campaign and stepped up patrols on the fourth of July, the CHP still reported a particularly catastrophic holiday that saw eighteen people lose their lives in traffic accidents in the state of California. Those numbers were from a 24 hour period.

Labor Day is just around the corner, and that usually proves to be one of the more dangerous holidays for drivers. This is true statewide, and the Santa Clarita area is no different.

CHP Captain Steve Bernard echoed this in a statement saying “Although there were no fatalities reported in the Newhall area last year, 42 traffic collisions were documented for the period compared to 26 collisions in 2005.”

The CHP also reports that their office arrested twenty five people for DUIs in and around Santa Clarita last Labor Day.

This year, expect the California Highway Patrol to significantly increase their patrols and enforcement. In fact, 80% of all CHP uniformed officers will be out on the prowl.

And to further drive home the point, California Highway Patrol Commissioner Mike Brown will take to the streets himself to patrol. He will be ticketing and arresting offenders along the I-5 from Woodland to San Diego. This is part of an enforcement campaign across California, Washington and Oregon dubbed “Stay Alive on I-5.”

CHP officers will be relying on the skills of their officers to take drunk drivers off the road, but the public is also a big help in that regard. California residents are called upon to report suspected drunk drivers to 911.