As they do every year, SFPD will have DUI saturation patrol checkpoints around town for St. Patrick’s Day, so stay out of the paddy wagon on St. Patty’s Day and do not drive while intoxicated tonight.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Friday this year, so SFist will not preach or encourage any form of moderation to apply to your St,. Patrick’s Day binge drinking. But we will strongly urge you to not under any circumstances drive while intoxicated this evening, because SFPD has announced their annual St. Patrick’s Day DUI saturation patrol checkpoints, and you do not want to be stuck in SF County Jail until Monday morning.

“The San Francisco Police Department’s Traffic Unit will be conducting DUI saturation patrol checkpoints this Friday, March 17, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 P.M. and 3:00 A.M.,” SFPD said in a Friday morning press release. “Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely.”

Sure, we’ll do our part, here’s more publicity! SFPD did not announce where the checkpoints would be or how many of them there will be (obviously). But they were clear that you will be hauled to County Jail, and they’re pretty inflexible on that particular point.

“Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000, not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out,” the release adds.

And yes, there will be good parties, and multiple block parties happening in the FiDi and other neighborhoods. There are St. Patrick’s Day event roundups in the Chronicle and on FunCheap SF, covering San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.

But take Muni or a Lyft, people!

Related: Of Course SFPD Is Doing DUI Checkpoints for St. Patrick’s Day [SFist]

Image: @SFPD via Twitter