HOLIDAY ARRESTS FOR DUI INCREASED STATEWIDE

CHP says 573 people detained this year; it was 271 in 2019

The California Highway Patrol says its officers arrested 573 suspected impaired drivers around the state over the Christmas holiday weekend, more than twice the number arrested during the holiday enforcement period a year ago.

Some of that increase comes from when the holiday fell during the week. With Christmas on a Friday, the holiday enforcement was spread over four days — from Dec. 24 through Dec. 27 — compared with a threeday enforcement period in 2019, said CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt.

In 2019, 271 drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI.

In San Diego County, the California Highway Patrol saw a similar surge in arrests.

In 2019, the CHP arrested 15 drivers on suspicion of DUI over the holiday enforcement period, while this year there were 30 arrests.

Perhaps more disturbing was the jump in fatalities stemming from traffic collisions seen over the holiday period.

In 2019, there were 10 deaths in traffic crashes reported statewide. There were 38 in 2020.

Of the 38 in California, 19 were deaths that occurred in the CHP ’s jurisdiction and four of those killed were pedestrians.

Bettencourt said some of the increase in DUIs may be the result of fewer people f lying and more people driving on the roads over the holiday period.

He also said people are “wanting to celebrate and be happy” after living months under COVID-19 restrictions and some may be celebrating without having a plan for a designated driver.

The veteran officer said he was surprised “in this day and age” to see that people still aren’t wearing seat belts, a proven safety feature.

He pointed out that 10 of the 19 people who died in crashes reported in the CHP’s jurisdiction were drivers or passengers not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.