The California Highway Patrol CHP will launch a Maximum Enforcement Period MEP during Labor Day Weekend to crack down on impaired drivers across the state.
We’re putting as many officers on the road as possible. DUI is a completely preventable crime, especially with services like Uber and Lyft available. But people still choose to drive under the influence,” said Officer Kylie Musselman.
Labor Day Weekend is one of the deadliest times on the roads due to impaired driving. Last year, 38 people lost their lives in crashes across California during the holiday weekend. The CHP made 1,064 DUI arrests during that time.
While the focus on stopping DUI drivers will be stronger this weekend, Officer Musselman says the daily fight against impaired driving is what inspired her to become a CHP officer.
Officer Camilleri from the Hayward CHP office died on December 24th, 2017, when he was hit by a DUI driver while on duty. I saw the news on Christmas Eve, and that was the moment I decided to become a CHP officer, she shared.
Musselman hopes to prevent other families from suffering the same loss as Alec Flores’ family.
The reason we enforce the law and issue citations is to prevent accidents. We’re not trying to ruin lives; we’re trying to save them, Musselman explained.
Alec Flores was just 13 years old when he was hit and killed by an impaired driver while walking to school. His mother, Tara Repka Flores, misses him every day.
Alec was an athlete. He wrestled, played football, and loved riding his bike. He was an intense, amazing kid who also loved being silly with his friends, she remembered.
Now a national ambassador for Mothers Against Drunk Driving MADD, Tara doesn’t want any other family to experience her pain.
It breaks my heart every time I hear about another family going through this. We need to plan ahead and make sure we get home safely, Tara urged.
She believes it’s up to each person to prevent these tragedies.
No one wants to kill a child on the road, but when you drink and drive, you take that risk. We all have a responsibility not to drive drunk, Tara said.
She is also hopeful about new legislation, the HALT Act, which was signed into law in 2021 and could help end drunk driving.
Officer Musselman emphasizes that impaired driving is entirely preventable. “It’s not a matter of if someone will cause an accident, but when. Many people who drive drunk do it regularly; they just haven’t been caught yet, she said.
Musselman also shared a crucial fact: Alcohol leaves the body at a rate of 0.02% per hour. So if you’re at 0.20% and wait five hours, you’re still at 0.10%—above the legal limit. Time is the only thing that sobers you up.
While some people may still choose to drive impaired, Musselman takes pride in her responsibility to keep the roads safe, especially during the holiday weekend.
The MEP will start at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, August 30th, and will end at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 2nd.
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