The present invention provides a system for limiting energy levels across the output of a driver circuitry segment (100). The system provides an output structure (102) adapted to drive an output load (104). A transconductance component (106) is communicatively coupled to the output structure, and adapted to output a transconductance current that is proportional to the voltage across the output structure. A scaling component (108) is communicatively coupled to the output structure, and adapted to output a scaled current that is proportional, by some scaling factor, to the current through the output structure. A qualifying component (110) is communicatively coupled to the scaling component, and adapted to activate a trigger component (112) when the scaled current passes a first threshold. The trigger component is communicatively coupled to the qualifying component, the transconductance component, and the output structure. Responsive to activation from the qualifying component, the trigger component receives the transconductance current and accumulates charge, for an amount of time inversely proportional to the transconductance current's magnitude, and triggers shut off of the output structure when the accumulated charge passes a second threshold.