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Overview of DUI Law
In Georgia
Georgia DUI laws are tough and enforcement of these laws is
rigorous. The standard for an unlawful blood alcohol content has
been lowered from .10 to .08. The standard is even lower for for
those operating a commercial vehicle with a Commercial Driver's
Licenses (.04). It's lower still for those under 21 years of age
(.02).
If you're automobile is stopped, and if the police officer smells
alcohol, he can ask you to take a battery of field sobriety tests.
These can include the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test ( HGN ), the
Walk and Turn test, the One Legged Stand Test, and the hand held
breath test on a device called an Alcosensor (not a Breathalyzer).
If you perform poorly on these standardized evaluations, or if the
police officer otherwise suspects impairment, you will be arrested.
At the time you're placed under arrest for DUI, the officer is
supposed to read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice to you. He will
designated which of the three tests, including blood, breath, or
urine, he wants to to take (he can designate all three if he
wishes).
If you take the test and have an unlawful blood alcohol level, or if
you refuse to take the test, you have just ten business days to
request an administrative license suspension hearing. If you don't
request the hearing within the ten business days, your Georgia
driver's license or privilege to drive in Georgia will be suspended
for 1 to 5 years by operation of law, depending upon your record. And that's before you
go to court.
If you are convicted of DUI:
1) you can go to jail for up to a year,
2) you will have to do at least 40 hours of community service,
3) you will have to pay a big fine,
4) you will lose your drivers license for 1 to 5 years,
5) you will have to attend DUI school (also called alcohol risk
reduction school)
6) you will have to pay a reinstatement fee to get your license back
7) you will have higher insurance premiums.
8) you might have to have an ignition interlock device placed on
your car,
9) you might have to turn in the license plates on all the vehicles
you own,
10) you might have your picture published in the newspaper,
11) you might have to attend alcohol counseling.
As you can see, being arrested for Driving Under the Influence in
Georgia is complicated and the potential consequences can be severe.
You deserve the best DUI attorney you can find.
Our sister site is dedicated to DUI defense. It explains drunk
driving charges and Georgia DUI law in great detail.
Click Here
to go to the home page of DUIGUY.COM, the most comprehensive Georgia
DUI Defense site on the internet. Or you can go directly to the pages on
that site dealing with
Administrative Drivers License Suspensions
or
Georgia DUI law.
Keep in mind that by clicking on these links you will be leaving
this site.
Good luck,
Georgia Defenders
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