• CHP issued 9,308 citations during the 2025 New Year’s period.
  • Speeding, impairment, and seat belts remain top crash factors.
  • New laws increase penalties for drivers caught going 100+ mph.

The California Highway Patrol made one thing clear a few weeks ago. There was going to be a special holiday enforcement period where officers put more effort into catching on-road violations and dangerous driving behavior.

Now, that period is over, and the results indicate that it affected thousands of people and included hundreds of DUI arrests, and made the state a bunch of cash.

Enforcement by the Numbers

In total, CHP reports 9,308 enforcement actions. Among them, officers handed out 5,458 citations and arrested 379 people for DUI. One interesting statistic is that speeding was the overwhelming reason that people ended up with a ticket.

Of the citations, 2,972 were for going over the legal speed limit. 92 of those ticketed for speeding were allegedly clocked at triple-digit speeds. Those folks qualify for California’s new rules that allow the DMV to penalize speeders before they even get to court.

More: California EV Drivers Now Risk A $490 Fine Under New Rules

Drivers caught going 100 mph or more now face increased fines, potential license suspension, and points on their driving record. These laws are designed to target the most extreme speeders, who are disproportionately involved in serious and fatal collisions.

More Than Just Tickets

Thousands Of Drivers Cited, Hundreds Arrested During California’s Special Enforcement Period
Photos CHP

As California continues to refine its traffic laws, the combination of stricter penalties and proactive enforcement aims to curb fatalities and keep drivers safe. How effective these measures will be is up for debate for now.

What’s not in question is that it’s taking a multi-pronged approach. Beyond heavy enforcement periods and cases that can go to the DMV before court, the state has other measures taking effect in 2026.

Also: LA’s New Automated Camera System Doesn’t Wait For A Judge To Act

A pilot program that began a few years ago to use speed cameras that can ticket drivers automatically is expanding. It’ll now go into Los Angeles after some time already in use in San Francisco.

We’ve also seen officers there using clever tactics to box in those participating in street takeovers or sideshows. As the year progresses, we’ll keep an eye on traffic and safety data to see if it trends downward or otherwise in the Golden State.