This year, the California Highway Patrol was especially busy on LA’s freeways, having made 236 DUI arrests as compared to the 158 they made last year between 6:01 p.m. Christmas Eve and 6 a.m. Sunday. Miraculously, no fatalities were reported (four occurred during the 2008 holiday week).

Meanwhile, in other Southern California counties, “business” continued to be equally brisk.  The Orange County CHP made 22 DUI arrests — the same as last year, but no fatalities were reported. In San Diego, the CHP reported 38 DUI arrests and 2 fatalities, as compared to 27 arrests last year.

In the entire state, 16 people have died in alcohol related traffic accidents, matching exactly the number of fatalities reported in 2008. Law enforcement officials will be conducting more anti-DUI round ups in nearly every city in Los Angeles County around the New Year’s holiday, through to Jan. 3, 2010.

AVOID, which studies DUI numbers, would like to remind drivers that the year-end holiday period is one of the deadliest times to be out on the road.  They encourage the public to report any drunk drivers they see by calling 911.

The AVOID campaign is funded by a California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grant.