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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - California Highway Patrol officers will be ramping up operations on highways throughout Los Angeles County starting Friday to catch drunk and drug-impaired drivers as part of the agency's annual Labor Day weekend enforcement campaign.
The maximum enforcement period will get underway at 6 p.m. Friday and conclude at 11:59 p.m. Monday. During the period, all available officers will be deployed for targeted patrols.
"Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving continues to be a leading cause of traffic fatalities and injuries in California, and the moment an impaired driver gets behind the wheel, they put themselves and every other person on the road in great danger," CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said.
"The CHP is committed to enforcement and non-enforcement strategies, including education and community engagement, to ensure the highest level of safety for everyone traveling throughout California during the holiday," Ray continued.
During the 2021 Labor Day weekend, officers statewide arrested 985 motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence, compared to 900 taken into custody during the same period in 2020.
Forty-three people died in wrecks throughout California over Labor Day weekend in 2021, the agency said.
Officials noted that with most CHP officers and sergeants certified as "drug recognition experts," they will be better equipped to spot motorists under the influence of marijuana and other drugs.
Numerous additional Southland law enforcement agencies will also be involved in the anti-DUI patrols countywide.
The efforts coincide with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's ongoing "Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over" campaign nationwide.