Labor Day – the last weekend of summer and, if you’re a fashionista, the last day you can wear white. However, a fashion faux pas may be the least of a person’s concerns. Statistics show that Labor Day is the 4th highest holiday weekend for the number of drunk driving arrests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2015, 40% of traffic deaths over that particular long weekend involved alcohol. 23% of those had BAC percentages of .15% or up, which is near twice the legal limit or above. Additional statistics show that California is the most dangerous state for DUI traffic deaths over Labor Day weekend. However, NBC Los Angeles shows that DUI arrests made by the California Highway Patrol were down from last year.
In Los Angeles County, the California Highway Patrol made 104 arrests for suspected DUI between 6 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Sunday. Last year, during the same period, 115 people were arrested for suspected DUI.
Statewide, California Highway Patrol officers also made fewer arrests than last year, with 685 arrests over the weekend compared to just under 730 arrests last year.
There were 14 fatalities reported by law enforcement agencies, which is an increase of 5 from the 9 that were reported last year. Three of those fatalities were located in Los Angeles County – up from two last year.
The number of arrests are those made by only the California Highway Patrol and do not include arrests made by other agencies.
