The Court of First Instance will hear the first drunk driving cases of 2026 today, Tuesday. A total of 30 suspects have been summoned to appear before a judge on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
With this court session, the Public Prosecutor’s Office aims to underline the serious dangers of driving while intoxicated, emphasizing that drunk driving poses a real risk of death. Authorities stress that alcohol-related traffic incidents have caused significant harm and suffering within the Aruban community, a reality that has been painfully evident in recent weeks.
In 2025, the Minister of Justice allocated additional resources to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to strengthen efforts against drunk driving and to improve the collection of fines. As a result, more than 500 suspects were brought before a judge last year for driving under the influence, completely eliminating the backlog of such cases.
Penalties for drunk driving typically include substantial fines and temporary driving bans. These measures generated more than 5.5 million florins in fines for the Aruban government in 2025.
For 2026, additional resources have once again been promised to continue this strict enforcement. Drivers caught driving under the influence will now be required to appear before a judge within a maximum of three months, or they may be summoned for a TOM-MBI hearing, a direct meeting with a public prosecutor.
In 2025, approximately 200 individuals were summoned for TOM-MBI hearings. About one-quarter failed to appear and were immediately issued a formal court summons.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office reiterated that alcohol and traffic do not mix and confirmed that violations will be addressed swiftly and visibly, with clear consequences. The overarching goal remains to improve road safety for all residents of Aruba.
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