The California Highway Patrol has reported that 41 people lost their lives over the 4th of July weekend.  This number was taken from fatal auto accidents that began on Thursday evening at 6pm and ended on Sunday at 11:59pm.  A high percentage of the deaths were in Los Angeles county. 

CHP Spokesman said that the number of deaths had decreased from 61 in 2005.  The spokesman could not contribute to a direct cause for the decrease, however did speculate that perhaps California’s new cell phone laws or gas prices may have to do with more cautious drivers. 

One interesting increase was the number of drivers arrested for driving while under the influence.  In 2005, the number of arrests was 1,600; this year, 1,684.  On Sunday Morning, a fiery crash on the Santa Monica 10 freeway left four dead after their car hit a pillar on the highway causing the car to explode.