Three people have been killed in traffic collisions on Bay Area freeways this holiday weekend and 159 arrested for driving under the influence, according to the California Highway Patrol.

That number is up from 2011, when only one person had been killed and 150 arrested by this point in the Thanksgiving enforcement period, Officer Hector Baiza said.

The CHP's Maximum Enforcement Period began Wednesday at 6 p.m. and continues through midnight tonight.

Statewide, the CHP is reporting 17 total fatalities this year so far, up from the 14 reported in 2011.

A total of 840 drivers have been arrested by the CHP for driving under the influence this year, fewer than the 903 arrested in the same period
last year.

— Bay City News Service

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