Earlier this week, a local man appeared at his court hearing in Hancock County for a DUI charge. But this was no ordinary court appearance. The man was drunk at the time of his hearing, which led to another arrest on his rap sheet.

Yet, he was released the same day because a judge determined he was unable to pay his bond.

One day later, the same man was arrested at the scene of a vehicle accident for driving under the influence, again.

Driving drunk caused this man, with numerous alcohol arrests, to drive into oncoming traffic and collide with two unsuspecting vehicles, the occupants of which are fighting for their lives.

In this case, I think the judicial system hasn’t done its duty to protect the citizens it serves.

Showing up to a court hearing for an alcohol-related case while intoxicated is a clear indication of an alcohol abuse problem.

While a man may be unable to pay his bond, releasing someone who apparently has an alcohol abuse problem puts others in danger.

Instead, he caused a lot of harm to a good number of people, both directly and indirectly.

While they may feel some sense of peace that he remains behind bars on a $50,000 cash bond, justice still hasn’t been served.

This is not the only incident where DUI convictions are not enough to stop someone from driving while impaired in any way.

Whether it is someone’s first time behind the wheel drunk, their first time being caught or their third, it should never happen.

I do not claim to know the answer to this problem, but I do know that the punishments currently in place are not enough of a deterrent.

The safety of children and law abiding drivers should be paramount.

If the state can pass a law requiring seatbelts be worn by all passengers of a vehicle, then it can do more to protect those that obey the laws in place.