SAN DIEGO — Thanksgiving is two days away but the hard work for local law enforcement begins Wednesday night. They are stepping up patrols throughout San Diego County as people hit the roads after hitting the bars.
Some refer to tomorrow as 'Black Out' Wednesday the night before Thanksgiving when people go to bars and kick off the holiday season. It’s known as one of the biggest drinking days of the year.
"Happy Thanksgiving enjoy everybody and just be safe. Me as an Uber driver I've seen a lot of accidents, a lot of distracted drivers out there on the phone and stuff. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. Be with your family," said Mandy, a San Diego resident.
Staying safe is exactly what CHP wants you to do. The agency will have its statewide maximum enforcement period starting 6 p.m. Wednesday through 11:59 pm Sunday. All available officers will be working and looking for distracted, reckless or impaired driving. They'll also be ensuring seat belts are buckled. The San Diego Sheriff's Office will also have extra DUI patrols set up throughout the weekend.
"Be aware of your surroundings. If you're gonna drink have a designated driver or call Uber," Mandy said.
CHP officers arrested more than 1,000 people driving under the influence during the Thanksgiving maximum enforcement period last year. They also responded to 27 fatal crashes. The main goal is safety this holiday season.
"I know it's beautiful here in San Diego and go out and enjoy beautiful people, beautiful weather, food especially. That's all I have to say is be careful out there," Mandy said.