The Coachella Valley holiday season saw one more crash than 2017’s Christmas break, but experienced no fatalities over a four-day Maximum Enforcement Period conducted by the California Highway Patrol, according to CHP statistics released Thursday.
Officers from the CHP Indio office took part in an increased enforcement of traffic laws during a “Christmas Weekend Maximum Enforcement Period,” which took place from 6 p.m. on Dec. 21 through 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 25.
During that time, 21 total crashes were recorded, with four of them resulting in injuries. While that total is one more than the 20 crashes recorded during the 2017 Maximum Enforcement Period, 2017 also produced an additional injury crash, and one fatal crash, while no fatalities occurred during the 2018 Maximum Enforcement Period.
Both years also saw 16 motorists arrested for DUI, according to the CHP, which will also conduct another Maximum Enforcement period for the New Year’s holiday starting 6 p.m. Friday through late Jan. 1.
“As the New Year is upon us, the CHP asks everyone to refrain from distractions while driving and to designate a sober driver or use another safe form of transportation,” the CHP urged.