The State - News from June 28, 1988

The California Highway Patrol intends to add almost 400 extra patrol shifts to ensure that traffic enforcement vehicles have high visibility on the state’s highways during the 4th of July weekend. “We’re going to be out in force all during this Independence Day weekend to encourage people to obey the traffic laws and to assist motorists who have car trouble,” said CHP Commissioner James Smith. In addition to increased patrol hours, Smith said, the CHP will also set up five sobriety checkpoints to discourage people from drinking and driving. “We’re out to make the California drinking driver an endangered species,” he said. The weekend of July 4 is traditionally one of the most heavily traveled holidays, the commissioner said.