By Khalida Sarwari
Drunken driving arrests by Bay Area law enforcement agencies over the first 12 hours of the Memorial Day weekend decreased slightly while the number of fatalities increased compared to last year at this time, law enforcement agencies reported today.
Officers representing 125 local agencies have arrested 65 impaired drivers from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, down from 73 in 2008, according to the California Avoid Campaign.
Three fatal collisions have been reported and one was alcohol-related, and there were no fatalities during the same time period in 2008.
The three-day holiday will be a maximum enforcement period for the California Highway Patrol, which is meant to find people driving under the influence or without a seatbelt. CHP officers arrested 1,450 drivers statewide for DUI during Memorial Day weekend last year.
So far 435 drivers have been arrested statewide, up from 390 for the same period in 2008.
The CHP will continue its maximum enforcement efforts through Monday.