CHP ramping up patrols throughout San Diego for Fourth of July weekend festivities

Colorful displays of the Big Bay Boom for the Fourth of July over San Diego Bay as shot from Lucinda Street in Point Loma File photo by Chris Stone California Highway Patrol officers will ramp up patrols across San Diego County and statewide starting Thursday evening as part of the agency s annual Fourth of July weekend crackdown on drunken and drug-impaired driving The statewide maximum enforcement period will begin at p m Thursday and conclude at p m Sunday during which all available officers will hit the streets for targeted patrols Reckless driving and speeding have deadly consequences CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee reported It s every driver s responsibility to make safe choices behind the wheel Let s work together to prevent tragedies by inevitably designating a sober driver and keeping our roads safe for everyone During last year s Independence Day maximum enforcement period officers arrested motorists on suspicion of DUI statewide compared to arrests that occurred during the campaign according to the CHP Forty-nine people were killed in crashes within the CHP s jurisdiction during the Fourth of July weekend That figure was the year before Officers in San Diego County will again deploy on freeways highways and unincorporated roads Duryee stated officers will take a zero-tolerance approach to any driving behavior that puts others at danger with a major focus on speeding A two-day enforcement action by the CHP in early June netted over speeding citations statewide according to the agency Every additional mile per hour reduces a driver s reaction time and increases the severity of the crash Duryee disclosed previously Meanwhile the San Diego County Sheriff s Department and municipal police departments throughout the county will also conduct saturation patrols through the holiday weekend targeting DUI persons and other violators