At least 36 people died in car accidents over the New Year’s holiday, California Highway Patrol officials said.

During the CHP’s maximum enforcement period between Dec. 28 and Jan. 2, 32 people in vehicles and four pedestrians were killed on the road, CHP Officer Juan Galvan said. Last year, 23 people died in car crashes over the New Year’s holiday.

A total of 1,140 were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence across California. Although that’s an increase from the previous year’s 936, Galvan said this year’s holiday span was a day longer because New Year’s Day fell on a Tuesday.

Locally, one person was killed in a car crash over the holiday in Los Angeles County, Galvan said, compared with six people last year.


“We’d like to think it’s because people are heeding to warnings or maybe designating a driver, slowing down,” he said. “But there’s so many factors that can play into it.”

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra