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CHP In Maximum Enforcement Mode For New Year's

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Several police agencies and the California Highway Patrol are expected to go into maximum enforcement mode this New Year's Eve weekend.

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KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou Reports

In Los Angeles County alone, 1,500 people were arrested for DUI's over Christmas week -- a 20 percent increase as compared to the same period last year.

"It's a higher percentage of DUI drivers are out there and it's people who have never drank and driven before... a lot of the first timers we've caught," said CHP Officer Matthew Calbert.

Beginning Friday night, the CHP is teaming up with other law enforcement agencies, stepping up several sobriety checkpoints across the Southland.

"Buzz driving is drunk driving. If you feel the effects of alcohol intoxication and you're driving, you are driving impaired," CHP officer Kraig Palmer said.

Meantime, more state and federal dollars to the CHP are providing extra resources to crack down on drunken driving.

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