Crime & Safety
Here's What'll Get You Stopped by CHP
Here are some tips for avoiding the inconvenience and potential expense of being stopped by the statewide police agency charged with keeping roadways safe.
No matter where you drive in the Golden State, you could be pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, which has jurisdiction not only on state highways but on all roadways open to the public and enforcement will likely be more stringent on this holiday weekend.
And while the CHP is best known for nabbing speeders and drunk drivers and investigating highway crashes, the patrol also combats less-spectacular threats to public safety such as distracted driving, cell phone use and seat belt neglect.
"We're always enforcing these violations," Napa-Sonoma CHP officer Jaret Paulson told Napa Patch's Louisa Hufstader.
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Driving behaviors that put you most at risk of being stopped by CHP
- Swerving, weaving and other signs of DUI
- Erratic speeds, failing to proceed at green lights
- Seat belt neglect or abuse, including illegally modifying seat belts
- Speeding ("That's been the cat-and-mouse game forever," Paulson said.)
- Cell phone use
To read more about some of the things Paulson saw on a recent day of patrolling in Napa, check out Louisa's full story here.
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
