Introduction
Year after year, South Carolina appears at the bottom of national rankings for drunk driving. In 2013, no state had a higher percentage of their traffic fatalities caused by drunk driving. From 2015-2017, no state had a worse rate of drunk driving fatalities per mile driven. In 2018, South Carolina had 291 traffic fatalities. That was 10 th worst in the nation, though we are 23 rd in population. We had more drunk driving deaths than Ohio, which has 6.5 million more people than we do.
Yet we show a refusal to change.
Drunk driving is a serious crime. You only need ask those 291 families. At MADD, we come to know many of these families, and our hearts break with them. We can support them, advocate for them, help them find their voice, and honor their loved ones, but we cannot ever fix the heartache. These crashes are sudden, violent, and tragic, and they cannot be undone. Yet, they are also 100% preventable. The message of the seriousness of drunk and drugged driving crashes will get lost without strict and consistent outcomes in the court system.
The Case for Court Monitoring
Court monitoring is a proven tool to affect the adjudication process and is recognized by NHTSA as an effective countermeasure to reduce alcohol impaired driving (Countermeasures That Work, NHTSA, 6th edition, March 2011). A NHTSA commission study found that in cases where court monitors were present, conviction rates for DWI/DUI offenders were 10% higher and case dismissal rates were 70% lower (Impact of Court Monitoring on DWI Adjudication, December 1990, DOT HS 807 678). Court monitoring has also proven to be a highly effective method of creating ongoing productive discussions between citizens and the judiciary. This makes the courts more accountable to the community they serve. Research shows that a first-time DUI offender has driven drunk an average of 80 times prior to their first arrest. Nationally, about one- third of drivers arrested for DUI have had a previous DUI conviction. Inconsistency in the handling of DUI cases, DUI charges being amended to lesser charges and dismissals of cases may contribute to repeated DUI offenses. MADD supports swift and equitable treatment for all DUI cases. MADD’s Court Monitoring Program was created to ensure that DUI offenders are prosecuted, dismissals of DUI cases are decreased and justice is achieved. Our Court Monitoring program’s goals are: • To compile relevant statistics regarding the dispositions of DUI cases in the courtrooms • To raise awareness of the level of public concern regarding the dispositions of DUI cases
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