According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DUI accident fatalities increased from 9,865 in 2011 to 10,322 in 2013. The NHTSA reported that the majority of DUI accidents with fatalities involved drivers whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.15 percent or higher, or almost twice the legal limit. A 2006 study by the NHTSA estimated that there is one drunk driving fatality in the United States every 30 minutes.
Georgia's Driving Under the Influence Laws are complex. Georgia DUI injury attorney Shane Smith can sort through the intermingled laws that potentially create complications in a DUI case.
A drunk 17-year-old driver in Forsyth County struck a telephone pole in an early morning accident and killed a passenger in his truck. The teen driver has been charged with first degree homicide by vehicle, DUI and underage possession of alcohol.
The impact of the accident ejected a 17-year-old passenger who was not wearing a seat belt. Two other passengers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
Georgia has a zero tolerance law for underage drinking and driving. Though the illegal blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers over 21 years old is 0.08 percent, drivers under 21 can be charged with DUI with a BAC of 0.02 percent. Teen drivers can be charged with DUI in a minor accident if a chemical test indicates that they have a small amount of alcohol in their system.
If you have questions about Georgia DUI laws, get the answers in Clayton County DUI injury attorney Shane Smith's book, I Was Hit By a Drunk Driver: What Do I Do Next?
If a death is caused by the negligence of another then the decedent's family may be entitled to legal relief through a wrongful death lawsuit. You should hire an experienced Clayton County wrongful death attorney if you will file a lawsuit on behalf of a family member who died due to another's negligence. Call Shane Smith Law for a free consultation.