8 killed, 314 arrested for DUI in California through start of Thanksgiving enforcement

CALIFORNIA, USA — The California Highway Patrol has implemented a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) during the Thanksgiving holiday.

CHP officers will educate motorists and enforce traffic safety laws throughout the state to ensure everyone has a safe holiday.

The MEP began Wednesday evening and ends Sunday, Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m., according to CHP. All available officers will be deployed during this time.

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"Officers will be actively looking for unsafe driving practices, including impaired or distracted driving, unsafe speed, and vehicle occupants who fail to buckle up," CHP said in a press release.

CHP said 314 DUI arrests were made within the first six hours of the MEP. At least eight people were killed in collisions during that same period, according to CHP.

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