Everyone can agree with me that drinking and driving is a very serious matter. Everyone can also agree with me that the consequences for getting caught drinking and driving should not be taken lightly. Finally, everyone can agree with me that getting caught drinking and driving is very expensive. What many might not know is how the expense of drinking and driving puts a dent in one's wallet for many years; I should know because I have experienced this dent.
Yes, lawyer fees, probation fees, the actual fine of drinking and driving, community service, suspension of licence, and being on probation are all well deserved penalties for getting caught for drinking and driving, but I do not agree with all the money the Texas Department of Public Safety receives after penalties are paid and served. TxDPS has a program known as the Driver Responsibility Program Surcharges. This program is definitely a money sucker. Basically, for the next three years after someone is convicted of a DWI offense, they must pay TxDPS $1,000-$2,500 yearly to legally be able to drive. Now the program does allow a monthly payment plan, but if a payment is missed, the offenders driver's license goes back in suspension.
TxDPS is making a ton of money off surcharge fees, in my opinion, too much. If someone has paid thousands and thousands of dollars in other fees from the offense and has done everything they have been asked to do, for example, 100 hours of community service, not being able to have a driver's license for many months, and serve probation for 18 months, why should they be penalized even more. Many DWI offenders have a hard time paying these surcharge fees, so they just end up not paying them and take the risk of driving with a suspended license. If that person gets pulled over driving, they face the risk of going back to jail and paying even more fees.
I believe TxDPS should lower the rate of the surcharge fees in half, or just simply get rid of them. Now some might say that the law was broken and the offender deserves to pay these fees, but instead of these fees, other consequences could change. For example, extend probation and increase community service hours. The Texas Department of Public Safety is not hurting for money, they already get tons of money from other sources, so why should they dig deep in the pockets for three years of Texans who served there time for breaking the law?
