ABC30 went on a ride-along with Officer John Marsh, of Fresno's California Highway Patrol. He tells Action News, they're not only after drivers who might be under the influence. "Following too close, unsafe lane changes, obviously people texting or talking on the cell phone, seatbelts."
Marsh said, usually, those violations lead to other problems. He also said drivers who try to hide their cell phones are often stopped. "Especially at night, that big old glow coming out of the inside of their car isn't supposed to be there."
In the few short hours we were with him, Marsh stopped speeders, conducted two field sobriety tests, responded to an accident, and cleared unsafe debris from the roadway.
Marsh says extra holiday enforcement helps the CHP prevent problems. "It's one of the few proactive things we're able to do on the highway patrol, most of the time we're responding to things that have happened because people are driving irresponsibly."
The stepped up efforts will carry not only through Thanksgiving, but through the weekend.
