If you are arrested in Georgia for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the penalties can be serious. Beyond facing potential criminal conviction, financial consequences of DUI could include expensive fines and legal fees, increased car insurance premiums, costs associated with DUI classes and treatment programs, as well as indirect consequences that affect both professional and personal relationships. It is vitally important that drivers understand these long-term implications to safeguard both rights and future plans.
DUI Penalties in Georgia
Even first-time offenders face harsh criminal consequences upon being found guilty of DUI in Georgia, such as fines, probation, community service, license suspension and fines. Repeat offenders could face even harsher punishment such as jail time, additional license suspensions and mandatory alcohol education courses as well as forced substance abuse treatment programs.
An arrest for driving under the influence can negatively impact future employment prospects, particularly jobs that require background checks such as law enforcement or security clearances. Furthermore, being found guilty may even lead to your current position being terminated.
Georgia DUI laws stipulate that for you to be considered in violation, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) must exceed 0.08%. A breath or blood test can be administered during a traffic stop or arrest to assess this BAC measurement, though its accuracy can also depend on many other factors including food consumption, medications taken and certain medical conditions affecting it. As such, having an attorney by your side who can dispute inaccurate breath or blood test results is crucial.
DUI charges may be classified as either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the specifics of your case and whether it resulted in serious injury or death. An experienced DUI lawyer can use multiple strategies to build a strong defense for your case, including challenging any initial police stop without valid cause and challenging field sobriety tests which may not always provide accurate readings due to improper administration or medical conditions that impacted their accuracy.
Recent changes to Georgia DUI laws have allowed skilled attorneys to reduce the long-term repercussions of DUI conviction. An experienced Georgia DUI lawyer can help minimize its effect by fighting to have it restricted from your record, thus decreasing your chances of facing further charges or convictions in future.
