CHP Reports Holiday DUI's Fewer Than Expected (07032006 Daily Bulletin) Despite 2 Traffic Deaths in the IE so far. Since 1800 hrs Friday only 86 DUI A

I am so proud that there were fewer DUI's then normal this Holiday then normal holidays in the past. It is great that the Click it or Ticket program has worked so well also. In fact I am wondering if the two are not innermixed. More people being stopped for Seatbelt violations, may have caused people to buckle up more and drive safer. Less people drinking and of coarse the Holiday broken up and being on Tuesday helped too.. BSRanch.. CHP reports holiday DUIs fewer than expected

Despite two traffic deaths in the Inland Empire so far this holiday weekend, California Highway Patrol officials said Sunday that it was better than expected. Since 6 p.m. Friday, only 86 people had been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Out of the CHP's eight statewide divisions, that placed this area as the second lowest, CHP officials said. But the weekend was only half over, CHP dispatch supervisor Doug Showalter said Sunday. "We still have a bit to go,'' he said. The two fatalities occurred in Rancho Cucamonga and Riverside, Showalter said. Details on the accidents were not immediately available, he said. In the same time frame, San Bernardino's CHP officers arrested or cited about 22 drivers but had no fatalities, said CHP Sgt. Tom Cunningham. Since the Fourth of July falls on a Tuesday, thousands prepared to make the holiday a four-day weekend. And as usual, Las Vegas was the top vacation destination listed by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The number of July Fourth travelers was expected to set a new record as some 3.54 million Southern Californians - and 5.67 million statewide - were planning to take holiday trips, according to an automobile club press release. That's a 1.4 percent increase over last year, club officials said. Despite gas prices that are 65 to 75 cents higher than a year ago, 79 percent of the holiday travelers, or 2.8 million Southern Californians, planned to drive to their destinations, officials said. Yet as of Sunday night, the toughest part of the holiday weekend was the heat, officials said. With few exceptions, things were relatively calm, Showalter said. Officials were still stressing safety, Cunningham said. Officers were being tough primarily on speed, seat-belt enforcement and DUI enforcement, he said. "We want people to use common sense,'' he said. - Gina Tenorio (909) 386-3854