More Drunk Drivers in L.A. This Thanksgiving

Drunk driving arrests were up 10 percent this Thanksgiving weekend in Los Angeles County, according to CHP figures released Sunday.

The 96 hours between Thanksgiving Day and Sunday traditionally mark the deadliest weekend of the year to be on the road, and CHP numbers showed a disturbing trend in the county. Despite statewide DUIs dropping down to 1,350 from almost 1,500 last Thanksgiving, DUI arrests in LA have risen since 2010. 

“It’s important to remember to designate a non-drinking driver before the celebration begins,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow in a statement. “People are eager to see friends and loved ones during the holiday season, but it’s important to get to your destination safely.”

With 200 drivers nabbed for drunk driving this past weekend, L.A. County now accounts for 22 percent of California’s Thanksgiving DUIs.

Although more DUI arrests were made in LA this year, there were no countywide traffic-related deaths. According to CHP data, four people were killed on LA roads last Thanksgiving and 11 were killed across the state.

Farrow said in an earlier statement that the CHP just completed a year-long campaign against driving under the influence in October. The program, called “Border to Border DUI Enforcement,” was funded by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He described DUIs as “an ongoing problem.”