Municipal Court receives state award for impaired driving prevention

VICTORIA, Texas – The City of Victoria Municipal Court has received the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center’s Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives Award for the second year in a row.

The court received the award for its efforts to combat impaired driving through education and public outreach. The court hosts mock trials that teach students about the dangers of impaired driving and provides educational resources and hands-on activities at public events.

Last year, the court partnered with Nazareth Academy and Trinity Episcopal School to host mock trials for the schools’ eighth-grade classes. The trials focused on the fictional case of a juvenile accused of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Municipal Court Judge Vanessa Heinold

To prepare for the mock trials, Municipal Court Judge Vanessa Heinold and Victoria Police Department officers visited the classes. They taught students about field sobriety tests and conducted activities using impairment goggles.

Last summer, the court hosted an educational event at the Children’s Discovery Museum in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The allowed older children to use an impaired driving simulator, while younger children learned to identify unsafe behaviors.

During the Victoria Police Department’s National Night Out, the court also offered hands-on activities. The court invited attendees to try different tasks while wearing impairment goggles.

If you are interested in partnering with the court to host a traffic safety event, you can contact the court at 361-485-3050. You can also contact the court via email at courtclerk@victoriatx.gov, or fill out the form at www.victoriatx.gov/courtoutreach.

The City of Victoria provided the above information and photos.