DeKalb State Court Traffic Division Judge to Host Teen Victim Impact Program on Distracted and Dangerous Driving

DeKalb State Court Traffic Division Judge to Host Teen Victim Impact Program on Distracted and Dangerous Driving

Program titled ‘It Won’t Happen to Me!’

DECATUR, Ga. – On Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, from 5:30-7 p.m., Judge Kiesha R. Storey will host the Teen Victim Impact Program (TVIP) in Courtroom A of the DeKalb County State Court Traffic Division, located at 3630 Camp Circle, Decatur, GA 30032.

The Teen Victim Impact Program raises awareness of the dangers of risky driving behaviors for young drivers facing traffic citations. The Traffic Division will host TVIP presentations quarterly throughout this year. 

The program is for teen and young adult drivers charged with offenses including, but not limited to, high speeding tickets, texting while driving, or causing an accident by violating the rules of the road. Participants will gather to hear and watch stories of young people who thought a serious crash would never happen to them, but learned the tragic consequences of taking risks and failing to pay attention while driving. 

Organizer and retired Gwinnett County police officer Bill Richardson opens the session with frightening statistics about the risks of injury or death to young drivers. In a previous TVIP presentation hosted by Judge Storey, a grieving mother stunned participants by introducing her 19-year-old son – now a box of ashes. Tyler had sent a text message moments before a high speed collision claimed his life. January’s event will feature a young man who, at age 17, overturned his vehicle, killing a 16-year-old girl and leaving himself and another passenger seriously injured. 

Courts and prosecutors in many jurisdictions send attendees to TVIP for traffic citations. “In some cases, a fine is adequate,” said Judge Storey in a WSB-TV People 2 People feature on the October 2016 event. “Having a program like this is just another sentencing option that we can use.”

When TVIP is ordered, it is in addition to, but not in place of Department of Driver Services-approved driver improvement courses. The court hopes that with education about the risks young drivers face on the road, they will improve their driving behaviors and reduce the likelihood of future offenses, and of injuries or deaths caused by distracted driving.

For more information, visit www.tvip.org. Participants may register online or in person at the event. There is a $40 fee for attendees who need a certificate of attendance for court purposes, but individuals may attend for free if they do not need a certificate.

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