If you are planning a special get-together on St. Patrick’s Day, an area law-enforcement agency is urging you to be responsible and not make bad decisions.

According to the Marshall Police Department, impaired driving affects lives. If you’re planning a special celebration, authorities urge you to think first about a safe and sober ride home. It doesn’t matter who you are, the conscious choice of driving impaired can change everything in an instant, and the consequences are real. Law enforcement will be out in full force through Saturday, March 20, cracking down on impaired drivers.

Authorities say 185 people were killed and 588 people were seriously injured in 2019 traffic crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver.

The amount of time you can spend in jail on your first conviction is six months, according to authorities. They also say you could be fined $1,000 on your second conviction.