Crime & Safety

CHP Plans Increased Patrols for Thanksgiving Maximum Enforcement Period

California Highway Patrol personnel based in Indio and the San Gorgonio Pass are planning to increase patrols during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, according to announcements from CHP reps in the Coachella Valley and Sacramento.

"The CHP wants everyone to have a safe weekend and will focus enforcement towards violations which place the motoring public in danger," CHP Officer Mike Radford said in a statement.

The Indio Area CHP wants to remind everyone to drive responsibly and cautiously this holiday weekend, helping to ensure the safety of all travelers sharing the road this holiday.

There are several important actions necessary to have a safe holiday weekend.

Every occupant needs to buckle their seatbelts, and parents need to ensure all children under 8 years old or less than 4’9” in height are in an approved and properly installed child safety seat.

Prior to celebrating this weekend, designate a sober driver. Driving while impaired by alcohol and/ or drugs jeopardizes everyone’s safety.

All drivers must remain focused on driving, keeping your eyes on the road ahead of their vehicle, and not looking at their cell phone. Even one second of distraction can result in tragedy.

Drivers must pay attention to their speed, and ensure they are following the  vehicle in front of them at a safe distance.

Thanksgiving weekend in 2012, Indio CHP officers investigated a total of 18 traffic collisions and arrested 18 drivers for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

This was an improvement from 2011, when officers investigated 28 traffic collisions and arrested 14 drivers for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and /or drugs.

This Thanksgiving weekend, we are striving to again reduce the number of traffic collisions in our area.

The California Highway Patrol is also planning to join other state highway patrol agencies across the nation to increase patrols and reduce fatalities on Interstate 5 and Interstate 40 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Cmdr.  John Price in Sacramento said Monday.

The “Interstate 5 Challenge" and “I-40 Challenge,” campaigns begin Wednesday Nov. 27 and end Sunday Dec. 1, coinciding with the CHP's Thanksgiving Maximum Enforcement Period.


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