On behalf of Weisman, Kennedy & Berris Co., L.P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, January 1, 2014.

Advocates of Ohio’s DUI-offender registry say that the tool provides a public service by alerting state residents to problematic drivers. Drunk drivers present a clear and heightened safety risk on state roads and highways, with car accidents involving inebriated motorists often resulting in fatalities and other serious injuries. Some who are charged with this do end up improving however, going to learn more about rehab options and rebuilding their lives.

Not everyone is an ardent supporter, though. A recent article from the Columbus Dispatch states that the online database “might not be totally reliable,” and a probe conducted by reporters from that paper has in fact uncovered errors on the registry.

“It’s a PR stunt,” says one defense attorney who is an obvious critic of the tool, which was recently expanded. That attorney, who represents DUI clients, states that the registry is a waste of money and is predominantly used to publicly humiliate repeat offenders. He adds that the tool is “obviously incomplete,” pointing to persons he has represented who have been convicted of drunk driving more than 10 times and are nonetheless not on the list.

Their omission likely alarms a lot of Ohioans and figuratively drives home a sad fact: Ohio is home to a high number of drunk drivers who imperil other motorists and pedestrians.

The registry is certainly proof of that. In its expanded version, it now lists many hundreds of offenders who have been convicted on DUI charges more than five times.

Those motorists are a clear menace on the roads. Any person who has suffered personal injuries or other damages owing to the actions of a drunk driver has a right to a legal remedy that encompasses rehabilitation costs, lost income, disability expenses and pain and suffering.

An experienced Ohio car accident attorney can answer questions and provide rigorous representation on behalf of an injured victim.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Listing of drunken drivers still has holes,” Randy Ludlow, Dec. 28, 2013