MADD Victim Impact Panel

Because of problems with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Victim Impact Panel is currently being conducted online. To sign up, visit online.maddvip.org and click on “Check Eligibility.”

If you are physically in Hillsborough County, Manatee County, or Pinellas County, you will be eligible for this online class and will be prompted to start the course. This course is now offered in Spanish by clicking on the English/Espanol button at the top of the page.

In the event that you are not approved after clicking on “Check Eligibility” please email MADD at westcentral.fl@madd.org and request the log-in credentials for the online MADD VIP to be sent to you.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the course and make payment of $65.00. Your device must have a working camera for the facial recognition security feature. Your certificate of completion will be available at the end of the course and will include your picture for attendance validation.

In the event that you experience issues with logging in or maneuvering the online class please call customer service at (702) 732-0214 or via email
at help_527@lrssystems.com

After an arrest for DUI in Florida, your attorney might recommend that you attend at least one victim impact panel (VIP). You can complete the VIP in the weeks or months after the DUI arrest, even before your case is resolved. Attending the VIP is mandatory if you enter a DUI diversion program in Hillsborough County called RIDR or if you are convicted of DUI in court.

Even if your case is reduced to reckless driving, either with or without an adjudication of guilt, you might be required to attend one or more Victim Impact Panels. For this reason, it might be better to complete the VIP early in your case.

In Hillsborough County, the Victim Impact Panel is an in-person panel managed by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) which is held at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. During the panels, people accused of DUI give their undivided attention to the speakers who can include people once convicted of DUI, family members of deceased victims of DUI wrecks, or first responders who can share their experiences responding to car accidents caused by impaired driving.

Although people living in Hillsborough County must complete the in-person VIP panel, if you live out of the county or out of state, you might be able to complete a VIP program in your area or through an online Victim Impact Panel offered by MADD.

After an arrest for DUI, contact an experienced DUI defense attorney in Tampa, FL, at Sammis Law Firm. Call 813-250-0500.

Pre-COVID-19 Dates and Times for the VIP Program

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hillsborough County’s Victim Impact Panel (VIP) Program was provided in person. The in-person presentation included a “non-confrontational presentation” of victims telling their own personal stories of how impaired drivers impacted their life.

The program provided a unique perspective to a person accused of DUI that is often overlooked by the instructors in DUI school and the courts.

The VIP Program in Tampa were held at the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office located at 520 North Falkenburg Road
Tampa, FL 33619. The program was held in the Falkenburg Road Jail Assembly Room which is the building at the north end of the jail.

The dates for the VIP Program in Hillsborough County included:

• 02-18-2019
• 03-18-2019
• 04-15-2019
• 05-20-2019
• 06-17-2019
• 07-15-2019

For each of these dates, the times for the VIP program were listed as follows:

• Registration Time: 6:00 pm
• Panel Start Time: 6:30 pm
• Panel End Time: 8:30 pm

Additional Resources

MADD Listing for VIP at HCSO – Visit the MADD website to register online for the VIP Program in Hillsborough County. Find information on attending the program at the Falkenburg Road Jail Assembly Room which is the building at the north end of the jail located at 520 North Falkenburg Road in Tampa, Florida.