At least 3 killed, almost 500 arrested in New Year’s DUI enforcement across California

As the state celebrated the new year, the California Highway Patrol arrested hundreds of people on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and several were killed in traffic accidents.

At least three people were killed in crashes during the CHP’s maximum enforcement period, which lasted from 6 p.m. Tuesday and continued through New Year’s Day.

CHP officers made 491 DUI arrests during that time frame, which means an intoxicated driver was taken off the road every four minutes over the 30-hour period.

Last year, the CHP’s new year maximum enforcement period was much longer at 102 hours, and it recorded at least 50 deaths in traffic collisions.

That same year, officers arrested more than 1,140 people on suspicion of DUI during the new year maximum enforcement. The CHP’s 2020 DUI arrest numbers are a 46% increase from new year’s 2019.

More recently, the CHP arrested 271 people on suspicion of DUI during its Christmastime maximum enforcement period, which was also two days. Ten people were killed in accidents during that timeframe, the agency said.