Georgia DUI Penalties

Georgia DUI laws and penalties

Each State within the United States is given authority to write their own laws on Driving Under the Influence, or better known as DUI. Within this article, we will explore the different DUI laws within the State fo Georgia, and their penalties. To begin with, there is what is known as a "Lookback Period" of 10 years. Meaning, that all prior DUI's become relevant to the sentencing you are now facing with your current DUI. This is also known as a "washout" period.

What constitutes a high BAC for a DUI in Georgia?

Under 21: .02%
21 or Older: .08%
Commercial: .04%

There is never an acceptable time to drink and drive, as your vision, reasoning, along with your mental capacity to make quick and important decisions and judgments are severely hindered and are not capable of bouncing back to what you are able to perform without alcohol in your system. Each person is different, and their tolerance level for alcohol is severely unpredictable making it impossible to say how many drinks are "normal" or not. This is what requires law enforcement to perform chemical testing on suspecting DUI offenders. If you are pulled over and are requested to take a chemical test to determine your BAC, or Blood Alcohol Content, Georgia has an implied consent law. This means that if you refuse to submit to a chemical test you will be subject to a fine and automatic license suspension. For refusal to take the chemical test, the penalties are as follows:

First Offense: 1 year license suspension
Second Offense: 3 years license suspension
Third Offense: 5 years license suspension

What are the penalties within the Georgia DUI laws?

There are several penalties within the Georgia DUI laws, and we will explore those here in this section. Should you be pulled over and found guilty of Driving Under the Influence of alcohol within the boarders of the State of Georgia, the following are the consequences you will be facing:

Penalty of Jail:

First Offense: 24 hours to 1 year
Second Offense: 3 days to 1 year
Third Offense: 15 days to 1 year
Fourth Offense: 1 to 5 years

Penalties and Fines:

First Offense: $300 to $1000
Second Offense: $600 to $1,000
Third Offense: $1,000 to $5,000
Fourth Offense: $1,000 to $5,000

Penalty of License Suspension:

First Offense: Up to 1 year
Second Offense: 3 years
Third Offense: 5 years
Fourth Offense: Indefinitely

Penalty of Ignition Interlock Device:

First Offense: No
Second Offense: Yes, if court allows
Third Offense: Yes
Fourth Offense: Yes

Conclusion

It is important to note that laws change, as well as their interpretation and application of them. Due to the fact that there are multiple jurisdictions within a State, and each may choose to enforce the laws in different ways, it is important to prepare for the unexpected. For this reason, it would be in your best interest to retain the services of an experienced and professional lawyer who is well versed in Georgia DUI laws, and is capable of giving you the direction you need for your specific case, along with being fully aware of the current laws pertaining to DUI.

(Tags - DUI Penalties - DUI Tests - dui state laws - Georgia DUI Law )