SACRAMENTO – A mid-week Independence Day holiday may result in less travel, but the California Highway Patrol will still be working to keep the roadways safe during its Maximum Enforcement Period.

The CHP’s MEP will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3, and conclude at midnight on Wednesday, July 4. Officers will be on the lookout for drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs.

“Do not let a day of festivities turn into a day of tragedy. If you drive impaired, you risk your life and the lives of others on the road,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Motorists will help make everyone’s holiday safer by driving sober, fastening their seat belts, and avoiding distractions.”

Impaired driving does not just mean alcohol. It is also illegal to drive while impaired by drugs, regardless if they are legal or illegal. If you are going out and plan to drink, designate a sober driver or have an alternate transportation plan.

If you are hosting an event, have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages on hand. Fourth of July gatherings often extend into the evening, as people wait for fireworks. Stop serving alcohol well before the end of your party. If any of your guests become impaired, take their keys and call them a cab or ride-share, or give them a ride home.

During the Independence Day MEP in 2017, which was four days, 47 people were killed in collisions on California roads. Within CHP jurisdiction, more than half the vehicle occupants who died were not wearing seatbelts.

The CHP also made 1,244 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during last year’s Independence Day MEP.