LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Independence Day holiday is typically a busy one in Lake County, as residents and visitors alike come out to enjoy the summer celebration.
Law enforcement also is out in force during the holiday due to concerns about drunk driving.
During this year's July 4 weekend, however, arrests for drunk driving were half of what they were last year, according to Officer Kory Reynolds of the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office.
Reynolds said that the CHP's drunk driving arrests during the 2014 holiday totaled eight, compared to four this year, Reynolds said.
The arrests occurred during the CHP's “maximum enforcement period,” which takes place during the year's major holidays and events as a way of keeping the roadways safe.
This year, the Independence Day Maximum Enforcement Period ran from 6 p.m. Friday, July 3, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5.
Officers were out on the roads, keeping an eye out for those driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and for speed violations and other issues, such as seat belt use.
Maximum enforcement periods typically take place at New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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July 4 weekend DUI arrests down compared to last year
- Elizabeth Larson
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