Sentence Of Houston Area Man Highlights Changes In Proceedings Against Drunk Drivers
Last April, a judge sentenced 39-year-old Houston area man Michael Giacona to wear a placard stating he had killed Aaron Coy Pennywell, another Houston area resident, in an accident while driving under the influence of alcohol. These kinds of non-traditional sentences for drunk drivers, including placards like Giacona's, special license plates indicating conviction, and breathalyzers installed on the cars of convicted drunk drivers that lock the ignition if a certain blood alcohol level is detected, are making headlines all over the country. For many of these novel sentences, grabbing the attention of the media and the public are the whole point. Public humiliation as a sentence recalls more primitive criminal justice systems in a way that may make some Americans uncomfortable; on the other hand, a look at the numbers shows a continuing need to curb drunk driving""a need which can be met by increased public awareness of drunk drivers.
Statistics show that alcohol is involved in a staggering 40% of fatal automobile accidents""intoxicated drivers account for 1 in 10 arrests in the United States for all jurisdictions, and though this number has declined in the past 30 years from a peak of 1.9 million in 1983, there are still 275,000 injuries annually from alcohol-related accidents, making alcohol-related accidents one of the most significant dangers to average Americans. In light of these numbers, it isn't surprising that judges and courts are pursuing novel sentences as one means of increasing public awareness and restricting drunk drivers from repeating their mistakes. However, there are other avenues of redress available to victims of drunk drivers which many may not consider pursuing and which in aggregate may reduce the occurrence of drunk driving accidents.
American civil courts have always offered victims of violent or negligent crime the opportunity to pursue damages in addition to the justice pursued by the criminal courts. This may be especially appropriate in the case of a drunk driving accident, where there are almost certainly significant financial and medical damages in addition to whatever pain and suffering might have resulted from the accident. However, a competent accident attorney is especially important in the execution of a successful civil suit; as the plaintiff in the case, you will still bear the burden of proving responsibility, but you will not have the substantial resources of the state attorney's office and the police department to back up your case; only the skill and dedication of your accident attorney in Houston and whatever evidence from the criminal trial is admissible in the civil case. The right attorney can help pursue the damages the victims of a drunk driver deserves, but also functions as a crucial component of ensuring justice and preventing future accidents.
Statistics show that alcohol is involved in a staggering 40% of fatal automobile accidents""intoxicated drivers account for 1 in 10 arrests in the United States for all jurisdictions, and though this number has declined in the past 30 years from a peak of 1.9 million in 1983, there are still 275,000 injuries annually from alcohol-related accidents, making alcohol-related accidents one of the most significant dangers to average Americans. In light of these numbers, it isn't surprising that judges and courts are pursuing novel sentences as one means of increasing public awareness and restricting drunk drivers from repeating their mistakes. However, there are other avenues of redress available to victims of drunk drivers which many may not consider pursuing and which in aggregate may reduce the occurrence of drunk driving accidents.
American civil courts have always offered victims of violent or negligent crime the opportunity to pursue damages in addition to the justice pursued by the criminal courts. This may be especially appropriate in the case of a drunk driving accident, where there are almost certainly significant financial and medical damages in addition to whatever pain and suffering might have resulted from the accident. However, a competent accident attorney is especially important in the execution of a successful civil suit; as the plaintiff in the case, you will still bear the burden of proving responsibility, but you will not have the substantial resources of the state attorney's office and the police department to back up your case; only the skill and dedication of your accident attorney in Houston and whatever evidence from the criminal trial is admissible in the civil case. The right attorney can help pursue the damages the victims of a drunk driver deserves, but also functions as a crucial component of ensuring justice and preventing future accidents.
