DUI enforcement policy in Pennsylvania is a hodge podge mixture of incompatible strategies and policies that often fail to support and reinforce each other and in many cases are completely contradictory.  Generally speaking, there are policies and objectives that are the stated goals of Pennsylvania DUI policy and underlying motivations that are as important if not more so.  There are several broad objectives of DUI law including the following:

• Deterring Drivers from Operating Vehicles While Intoxicated: The most important goal of DUI policy is to deter a practice that can be unsafe and lead to alcohol related auto accidents in Pittsburgh and throughout Pennsylvania.

• Rehabilitation and Training: Many repeat DUI offenders suffer from alcoholism.  Deterrence policies are not particularly effective when it comes to those who are addicted to alcohol.  The only real way to keep those with serious alcohol addictions from driving under the influence of alcohol in Pennsylvania is to focus on rehabilitation and education programs designed to help eliminate the underlying disease that results in drunk driving.

• Punishment of Offenders: This goal of DUI policy is advocated most aggressively by law enforcement, victims rights groups and MADD.  The idea is that society or a DUI accident victim has a right to exact its pound of flesh.  Unfortunately, campaigns by groups like MADD to impose more serious penalties on drunk drivers rarely focus on accident victims.  Most drivers arrested for DUI are not involved in auto accidents so there is no actual victim.

• Filling the Public Coffers: This is the objective of DUI enforcement policy that is sometimes treated by public entities and law enforcement as a “dirty little secret.”  The point is that aggressive DUI enforcement strategies like sobriety checkpoints have more to do with generating revenue than arresting those driving under the influence of alcohol.  Multiple studies has shown that sobriety checkpoints are a very expensive and inefficient method of enforcing DUI law.  Most sobriety checkpoints end up catching mostly unlicensed drivers and result in arrests and citations for similar non-DUI related offenses.  Public entities often generate substantial revenue by impounding vehicles of unlicensed drivers at sobriety checkpoints.

While all of these objectives have at least some merit as goals of Pennsylvania DUI enforcement policy, efforts to pursue these frequently inconsistent objectives can lead to misguided law and inefficient expenditure of public funds on DUI enforcement.  It would seem few can argue that preventing DUI related injuries and fatalities is the most valuable objective of DUI laws.  This means that polices that focus on punishment or deterrence should be carefully evaluated to determine that they actually generate tangible results in terms of reducing drunk driving accidents.  While public funds now wasted on ineffective enforcement tools like sobriety checkpoints should be diverted back toward rehabilitation and education programs.  Rehabilitation programs can help treat those suffering from alcoholism by treating the underlying disease rather than the symptoms of the disease (incidents of driving under the influence).  Education resources can be used to reduce the number of teenagers that become the next wave of alcoholics and drunk drivers.

Pittsburgh DUI attorney Michael V. Worgul represents those charged with DUI throughout Pennsylvania.  We know that bad things happen to good people and are committed to helping people protect their lives and future.  If you or someone you love is arrested for DUI anywhere in Allegheny County or the surrounding area, Michael V. Worgul offers a free initial case evaluation so we can analyze your case and advise you regarding potential defense strategies so call us today at 412-475-9217.