Beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, May 26, the California Highway Patrol will implement a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period in anticipation of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The Maximum Enforcement Period will continue through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 29.

In addition to assisting motorists and looking for traffic violations that often lead to serious injury or death, such as failure to wear a seat belt, speed and distracted driving, CHP officers will be paying close attention to people who are suspected of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

In a statement, the CHP said “If you see or suspect an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location and direction of travel. Your phone call may save someone’s life.”

Forty-five people were killed in crashes in California during last year’s Memorial Day weekend, nearly a 30% increase from the same period in 2021 and nearly 900 DUI arrests were made during Memorial Day Weekend in 2022.