Santa Clarita Valley Holiday DUI enforcement — a coordinated effort by California Highway Patrol officials to institute a Max Enforcement Period (MEP) — netted a total of 15 DUI related arrests by the CHP Newhall office alone this past Christmas weekend, and officials are planning on running a similar program for the coming New Year’s weekend.

“The CHP will observe the New Year with a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) from 6:01 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018,” according to a CHP’s Sacramento office press release. “All available personnel will be on duty.”

Not only will officers focus on keeping the motoring public safe by removing impaired drivers from the road, CHP is set to watch for distracted driving, speeding, seat belt violations and as well as motorists in need of assistance.

Related: DUI Enforcement To Increase In Santa Clarita For New Year’s Celebrations (VIDEO)

During last year’s statewide New Year’s MEP, 29 people died in collisions on California roadways, and CHP officers made more than 750 arrests for driving under the influence during the 78-hour holiday enforcement effort.

“Impaired driving is a very serious crime that puts your life and the lives of others at risk,” CHP Acting Commissioner Stanley said. “Let’s end this year safely and start the New Year by designating a sober driver, wearing your seat belt and observing all traffic laws.”

With the New Year Comes a Change in Law for California

In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64, a statewide mandate to to legalize the possession and private growing of marijuana for adult recreational use. Law enforcement officials are impressing on the public now more than ever that these changes to the law does not mean that officers will stop issuing DUI’s for driving while under the influence of marijuana.

“The legalization of cannabis does not change the effect it has on the central nervous system,” Acting Commissioner Stanley said. “Driving under the influence of cannabis and other drugs remains illegal.”

The CHP urges everyone to plan a safe ride home before the parties begin.

Furthermore to alcohol or marijuana, a driver could be subject to a DUI arrest if they are under the influence of prescription medications or over-the-counter allergy or cough medications, according to officials.

“What caused the impairment does not matter,” said Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley. “In short, “drive high, get a DUI.”

Related: Drunk Driving Enforcement Set To Increase During Holiday Season (VIDEO)

“Alcohol-impaired driving is still the most serious problem on our roadways, but the percentage of
drivers in fatal collisions who have other impairing substances in their system keeps rising,” according to a news release issued by California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) officials.

From 2005 to 2015, the percentage of drivers in fatal collisions who had an impairing drug other than alcohol in their system increased from 26.2 percent to 42.6 percent, according to the information provided in the OTS news release.

“In the face of more drug-impaired drivers on the road, the CHP and local law enforcements are training more officers in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and Drug Recognition evaluation,” the OTS news release explained. “The advanced training augments the Standardized Field Sobriety Test to help identify what substances other than alcohol a driver may be impaired by.”

“Calling a taxi, a sober friend, family member, public transportation or the increasingly popular ride-sharing services can be the difference between life or death,” the CHP news release said. “Just like drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs is not only dangerous, it is a crime.”

Officials stated that if residents see a possibly impaired driver on the road for both this upcoming weekend, or any day of the year, they are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement station.

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