In her post on November 5, 2012, my colleague, Andrea, discusses the additional penalties and fines for being caught drinking and driving, even after fees, community service, and probation have been paid and served. She admits, having experienced the whole ordeal, that it is a very serious thing to be caught drinking and driving, but the expenses that come along with it are ridiculous.
Although I have not been through the same experience, I would have to say that I agree with Andrea. I mean, seriously? If someone has paid their fees, and served their community service and probation, why are they still being financially punished for years afterwards? Andrea states that TxDPS has a program called the "Driver Responsibility Program Surcharges," that continues to take money from those convicted of a DWI offense. This program requires those convicted of the offense to pay TxDPS $1,000 to $2,500 a year for the next three years to legally be able to drive, which most cannot afford and therefore drive illegally, risking another offense and more money.
Andrea believes that TxDPS should cut the surcharge fees in half or just get rid of them all together. She even provides alternative consequences if the surcharge fees were to be cut, like extended probation or more community service hours.
She has definitely convinced me that some things need to change. I would say that she did a really great job presenting the information and that, combined with her personal experience, makes her pretty credible.
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