Pittsburgh Police Cracking Down On Off-Road Vehicles Driving City Streets
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Police are cracking down on people illegally driving off-road vehicles on city streets.
Public Safety says in 2020, the city started seeing large numbers of off-road vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes driving recklessly -- taking over roadways and intersections, driving on sidewalks and in many cases, going in the wrong direction.
According to Public Safety, "flash mobs" or "ride-outs" have as many as 50 to 200 riders roaming Pittsburgh's neighborhoods at any given time.
Public Safety says just in the past week, police issued eight citations and towed two vehicles from a ride-out event. One citation came from a traffic stop where a dirt bike rider was driving the wrong way toward police on N. Beatty Street.
"It is just a matter of time before this irresponsible behavior leads to a serious injury or death either of the rider, or to an innocent pedestrian or motorist in Pittsburgh," said Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich in a press release.
Police will launch a three-pronged response focusing on education and community outreach, law enforcement collaboration and investigation and enforcement.
Police say they'll be using any technology to stop the vehicles. The public can send tips to this new email address: 412_TIPS@pittsburghpa.gov.