This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The California Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to drive safely during the Fourth of July weekend.

According to a news release from the California Highway Patrol, in order to increase safe travel, the CHP will have extra officers on duty during the holiday weekend as part of a Maximum Enforcement Period.

Beginning in the evening on Friday July 1, through midnight on July 4, CHP officers will have a special focus on speed enforcement. In addition to speeding motorists, officers will also be on the lookout for distracted, aggressive, and drivers suspected of driving under the influence during this time period.

“Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. Speeding not only endangers your life, but the lives of everyone on the roadway,” the CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said in the news release. “Fill the holiday weekend with celebration and fun activities, not reckless choices that lead to tragedy.”

According to the CHP, during the 2021 Fourth of July Maximum Enforcement Period, 43 people were killed in crashes on roads in California. More than one-third of the victims within CHP jurisdictions were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collisions. Also during that time period, the CHP arrested 997 people who were driving under the influence.

Last year’s increased efforts to enforce speed limits during the Fourth of July weekend resulted in CHP issuing nearly 10,000 tickets statewide.

“Speed is the number one factor in roadway crashes in California, causing one-third of the traffic-related deaths,” Commissioner Ray added in the news release.