Pittsburgh officials urge community members to celebrate St. Patrick's Day safely
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — St. Patrick's Day is quickly approaching and while it's a bunch of fun, it can also prove to be costly and dangerous for some people.
Law enforcement in the city of Pittsburgh is asking anyone coming Downtown to behave.
With up to 300,000-plus taking part in the festivities, St. Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh is a big deal with a lot of things to look forward to.
However, depending on the person, the day dedicated to everything Irish can get ugly, especially when excessive drinking is involved.
"People get drunk and drive. That's a real danger," said JoAnn Meier of Forest Hills.
Local law enforcement, Allegheny County Pretrial Services, PennDOT and AAA got together to warn people of what could happen if their behavior goes from fun, to something else, especially if you're drunk behind the wheel.
"You can receive up to 6 months incarceration, a license suspension for a year and mandatory driving school," noted state police trooper Melinda Bondarenka.
To keep oneself safe, officials are always making the following suggestions.
"There are ride-share programs, taxi's public transportation to take advantage of," added Tiffany Stanley of AAA.
Officials also suggested ideas if you are on foot and plan on celebrating the big day.
"If you are walking, we applaud you for not driving, but go the extra step to make sure you have someone with you who's sober and responsible," said Yasmeen Manyisha, of PennDOT.
Extra police will be on duty in Pittsburgh for St. Patrick's Day with mounted patrols on the street.