Driving while under the influence is a bad choice that turns a driver’s vehicle into a weapon of mass destruction. There is not a county in Pennsylvania that is immune to the effects of this problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that one third of all 2013 traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania were attributable to drunk driving.
In Montgomery County, the proliferation of these DUI cases led to the formation of a dedicated DUI court. This was a measure taken to streamline the district attorney’s DUI cases, which in 2014, accounted for over a third of the total criminal cases in that county. The special court is one of a handful in the state, which is designed to remove repeat offenders from the roadways. The cases are heard by one judge who has the assignment of handling all DUI cases so that there is continuity in the approach to violators, especially repeat offenders.
The issue of DUI is a serious public safety issue and is one that needs some strict attention and harsh penalties for offenders. It is imperative that the past offenses of a DUI driver are considered by the District Attorney when the case is prosecuted. Therefore, a DUI team approach is used. Two assistant public defenders are devoted to DUI court in Montgomery County. Assistant District Attorney, Bradford Richman, leads the team that encourages defendants to seek help for their addictions, using both positive incentives and negative reinforcement. Some other counties in Pennsylvania have versions of this DUI court, but focus more on treatment. While the approach in Montgomery County is in its first year, and statistics cannot yet be gathered to show its effectiveness, those in the system see a positive impact of streamlining the cases to the DUI court so they do not get lost in the larger criminal court system.
Prevention of DUI crashes by police checkpoint activity is another tactic used in Montgomery County that is having a positive impact on reducing the number of DUI accidents. Many drivers placed under arrest at these checkpoints are found to be under the influence of drugs, alcohol or both. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has a task force that rounds up those who have a bench warrant for intoxicated driving. Montgomery County is a leading force in getting the DUI accident numbers down, one intoxicated driver at a time.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers of Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Represent Victims of Drunk Driving Car Accidents
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a car accident caused by a driver under the influence of drugs, alcohol or both, Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates will fight for your rights and pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering for your injuries. Our law offices are conveniently located in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Voorhees, New Jersey. We represent clients who have been injured in DUI car accidents throughout Southern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley. Call our legal team today to schedule a no cost confidential consultation at 215-567-6600 or use our convenient online contact form.