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It could happen to you. The Hawaiʻi State Department of Transportation’s new public service announcement (PSA) imparts a cautionary tale of how anyone can inadvertently have a few too many drinks and fail to realize that their ability to drive is dangerously impaired.

This is the real-life experience of one of the graduates of the Honolulu DWI Court. In this 30-second PSA, the graduate shares how the intensive court treatment program helped him recognize the consequences of his drinking habits and make significant personal improvements in his life.

Since its inception in January 2013, the DWI Court Program has helped 85 individuals recover from addiction, restore their family relationships, and improve public safety on our roadways, while saving taxpayer dollars.

The DWI Court staff conduct quarterly checks on program participants and graduates, as well as those who were referred but did not enter the program, and have learned that DWI Court has produced significant reductions in recidivism (a person’s relapse into criminal behavior).

Those who joined the program have a 16% reduction in recidivism for subsequent OVUII (Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant) arrests after five years, and a 17% reduction in recidivism for subsequent Driving While License Suspended or Revoked for OVUII charges after five years, compared to those who were eligible but did not enter the program.

Research conducted on DWI offenders in the United States shows that only programs such as the Honolulu DWI Court, which combine multiple service components, including substance abuse disorder treatment, intensive court or probation supervision, monitoring technologies such as interlocks, and drivers’ license restrictions, demonstrate consistent positive effects for both participants and the community.

For the latest information on this important program, see “DWI Court: Accountability, Treatment, Safer Streets,” on pages 36 – 38 of the Hawai‘i State Judiciary’s 2023 Annual Report.