Over 1,000 DUI Arrests Made Over Memorial Day Weekend, Says California Police

741 arrests were made in the first 30 hours alone of Memorial Day weekend 2019.

Last weekend, 1,099 arrests peppered the state of California. All were in relation to DUI driving.

DUI, or Driving Under the Influence, charges were in abundance during the California Highway Patrol’s 78-hour Memorial Day Maximum Enforcement Period of the past weekend. Figures from this year were estimated to be nearly 4 percent higher for the three-day holiday weekend than the same period last year, revealing danger on the Californian roadway. (In 2018, the CHP made 1,060 DUI arrests alone over Memorial Day Weekend.)

“At least 34 people were killed in collisions in California during the Memorial Day Maximum Enforcement Period, which is an eight percent decrease from last year’s Memorial Day MEP,” tweeted CHP Headquarters, “Sadly, nearly half of those killed in a crash within CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seat belt.”

This year, 34 collision-related deaths were reported by the CHP. These deaths took place during the 78-hour Memorial Day Maximum Enforcement Period in California, forever linking the Memorial Day holiday to irreparable tragedy for the families of 34 individuals.

Nearly half of those deaths may have been preventable had drivers and passengers worn their seat belts. According to California law, all drivers and passengers of motor vehicles must wear a seat belt. As police warn time and time again, seat belts prevent persons from being ejected during a car crash, and those not wearing seat belts are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash.

“DUI arrests by CHP during the 78-hour Memorial Day Maximum Enforcement Period increased by nearly 4 percent from the same period last year,” the CHP said in a separate tweet, “With 1,099 arrests for DUI during the holiday weekend, CHP officers averaged 14 DUI arrests per hour. #DriveSafe #DriveSober”

Drinking and driving arrests often spike during the holidays. Because alcohol commonly figures prominently at holiday family gatherings and more cars are on the road, there is potentially a greater risk for driving over the holidays. Holiday stress, often arising from tension related to extended family functions, leads drivers to drink before getting behind the wheel.

(MORE: Holiday accident statistics based on 2016 data and predictions for 2017)

The 1,099 DUI arrests from this past weekend in California could have been prevented had the driver chosen to appoint a DD (Designated Driver) beforehand, call a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft, or check their impairment through the free Otorize app.

Buzzed driving is still drunk driving, and driving tipsy can result in accidents — for you or for other cars on the road. In any case, it’s better to be safe and #DriveSober.