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CHP issues nearly 12,000 speeding tickets during 24-hour enforcement surge

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Published  May 2, 2026 1:47pm PDT
CHP
FOX 11
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CHP begins holiday maximum enforcement period

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CHP begins holiday maximum enforcement period

The holiday enforcement period begins Friday night at 6 p.m.

The Brief

    • The California Highway Patrol issued 11,767 speeding citations during a 24-hour Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) that concluded Wednesday morning.
    • Extreme speeds were a major focus, with 200 drivers cited for traveling over 100 mph, triggering automatic reviews for license suspension under the FAST program.
    • Total enforcement reached nearly 20,000 citations and 2,800 warnings as the agency fights a rise in speed-related deaths and injuries across state roadways.

LOS ANGELES - The California Highway Patrol has released the results of a massive 24-hour enforcement surge, revealing that thousands of drivers were caught at unsafe speeds despite repeated public warnings.

What we know:

Between 6 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, and 5:59 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, CHP officers saturated California freeways to combat a deadly trend of high-speed driving. 

In total, officers issued 19,564 citations for various violations and handed out 2,807 warnings. 

Of the nearly 12,000 speeding tickets issued, 200 were for drivers exceeding 100 mph. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CHP launches 24-hour statewide speeding crackdown

This surge follows 2025 data showing that unsafe speeds were linked to more than 110,000 crashes and 400 deaths statewide.

US sees highest gas prices since summer 2022

US sees highest gas prices since summer 2022

Average US gas prices have hit a new high at $4.23 a gallon, their highest since 2022 and a record since the start of the war with Iran, according to the motor club AAA.

What they're saying:

"Speeding continues to be one of the leading causes of serious and fatal crashes on California’s roadways," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duarte.

The financial impact is also being highlighted by experts. 

Kandace Redd, a spokesperson for AAA, noted that "The last thing we want is a speeding ticket because we know it can cost hundreds of dollars and much more when you factor in the possibility of insurance increases." 

AAA estimates that a single violation can cause insurance premiums to spike by 26% to more than 40%.

What's next:

Drivers caught exceeding 100 mph are now facing the pilot program "Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets" (FAST). 

Under this initiative, these high-speed citations are automatically forwarded to the DMV’s Driver Safety Branch. 

This allows the DMV to expedite the review process to potentially suspend or revoke the offender's driver’s license.

The Source: This report is based on information from the California Highway Patrol and previous reporting from FOX 11's Mario Ramirez.

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