Local law enforcement officials speculate: Is it the long weekend or the allure of the outdoors, graduation season or the promise of summer?
For whatever reason, they say, the rush of people hitting the road for vacations and outings over Memorial Day weekend typically coincides with more impaired drivers choosing to get behind the wheel.
"DUI death rates tend to go up around various holidays, including Memorial Day," said Chris Cochran, spokesman for the California Office of Traffic Safety. "This is the traditional beginning of summer, a celebration time."
Starting tonight, in an effort to drive, many law enforcement agencies are ramping up their DUI enforcement with sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols. The Office of Traffic Safety and California Highway Patrol have both designated the weekend a maximum enforcement period.