DUNMORE — In advance of upcoming St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and parade festivities in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, officials on Monday warned the public of the dangers of impaired driving.
Representatives of the state Department of Transportation, Lackawanna County Highway Safety Program, Lackawanna County district attorney’s office, the Pennsylvania DUI Association, Pennsylvania State Police and officers from police departments in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties attended the event, called “Operation Sober Shamrock.”
They gathered at PennDOT’s District 4 headquarters in Dunmore to speak of the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and to promote ride-sharing options and impart “an overall message of celebrating safely and making smart decisions to keep our communities safe,” according to an announcement.
Speakers included PennDOT District 4 Executive Jonathan Eboli, state Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bob Urban and Pennsylvania DUI Association Regional Program Administrator Shawn Noonan.
Police officers from Scranton, Dunmore, Throop, Pittston, Pittstown Twp., Hughestown, Wilkes-Barre and Wilkes-Barre Twp. also participated in the media event.
State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, at podium speaks on Monday, March 9, 2026 at PennDOT district headquarters in Dunmore on “Operation Sober Shamrock,” to remind the public to avoid drinking and driving while participating in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and attending parades. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher, at podium speaks on Monday, March 9, 2026 at PennDOT district headquarters in Dunmore on “Operation Sober Shamrock,” to remind the public to avoid drinking and driving while participating in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and attending parades. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bob Urban, at podium speaks on Monday, March 9, 2026 at PennDOT district headquarters in Dunmore on “Operation Sober Shamrock,” to remind the public to avoid drinking and driving while participating in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and attending parades. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Shawn Noonan of the Pennsylvania DUI Association, at podium speaks on Monday, March 9, 2026 at PennDOT district headquarters in Dunmore on “Operation Sober Shamrock,” to remind the public to avoid drinking and driving while participating in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and attending parades. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore, at podium speaks on Monday, March 9, 2026 at PennDOT district headquarters in Dunmore on “Operation Sober Shamrock,” to remind the public to avoid drinking and driving while participating in St. Patrick’s Day festivities and attending parades. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The parades in Scranton on Saturday and in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday are expected to draw large crowds.
The St. Patrick’s Parade in Scranton is one of the largest parades in the country celebrating Irish heritage.
Noting the parades in both cities should draw about 100,000 people, Flynn said, “Our message today is simple: Enjoy the celebration, but plan ahead” to avoid impaired driving via designated drivers, ride-sharing services or taxis, Flynn said. “Have a great St. Patrick’s Day, celebrate responsibly, but most importantly, get home safely.”
The annual parades are part of a great tradition of celebrating Irish heritage in Northeast Pennsylvania, and authorities want the events to be family friendly and safe, Gallagher said.
“If you plan to drink, do not drive. Use a ride share. There truly is no excuse,” Gallagher said. “We will enforce the law. Anyone who chooses to put others at risk through drunk driving, disorderly conduct or other criminal behavior, will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Over the next week or so, state and local police will have increased patrols for DUI throughout the region, Urban said.
“Making the right decision before you go out can prevent tragedy,” Urban said. “If you choose to drive impaired, you can expect to be stopped and you can expect to be arrested. So please, celebrate responsibly and remember, drive sober or get pulled over.”
Even a few drinks or puffs can impair judgment, Noonan said, adding, “There is no safe level of alcohol or drugs when you’re behind the wheel.”
STAFF
The Penn York Highlanders Bagpipe Band from Athens march down Lackawanna Ave. in Scranton during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2019. Jason Farmer / Staff Photographer
A three-leaf clover floats in the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 9, 2025. (JASON ARDAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
DUI law
The Act 24 Driving Under the Influence Law enacted in 2003 lowered Pennsylvania’s legal limit of alcohol from 0.10 to 0.08, created a tiered approach toward DUI enforcement and treatment, and changed penalties, terms of suspension, fines and other requirements. The combination of an individual’s blood alcohol content (BAC) level, and prior offenses, determines the licensing requirements and penalties, and with a focus on treatment for first-time DUI offenders, rather than strictly punishment and suspension. Act 24 created three levels of DUI:
• General Impairment BAC: 0.08 to 0.099%
• High BAC: 0.10 to 0.159%
• Highest BAC: 0.16% and higher
Cost of a DUI
The costs associated with an impaired driving arrest can vary depending on factors including blood alcohol content, location of arrest and number of offenses. The effect on a driver’s wallet starts the moment they are stopped by police. Here are a few expenses associated with a DUI:
• Traffic fine: $300-$10,000 depending on blood alcohol content and number of offenses.
• Towing vehicle: $175-$500.
• Impound: $75-$175 per day.
• Legal fees: $2,000-$8,000 or more.
• Alcohol evaluation: $35-$100.
• Accelerated rehabilitative disposition (ARD): $100-$1,800.
• Education and treatment: $100-$1,000 or more.
• License restoration: $76 noncommercial, $184 commercial.
• Insurance premium: increase of about $1,000 a year or cancellation of policy.
• Other ramifications may include court appearances, community service requirements or jail time, possibly leading to lost time, wages or even employment. A DUI conviction also may impede attempts to get a job and cause embarrassment to an offender and their family.