Although drinking and driving rates have decreased over the past decade, too many people are injured or killed due to reckless drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while impaired.

The best defense against a drunk, impaired, distracted, or speeding driver is to drive defensively and wear a seatbelt. However, even the most cautious drivers can still end up injured in a drunk driving accident through no fault of their own.

Contact our team of personal injury attorneys for a free consultation regarding your rights if you or someone you know was injured or killed in a crash because of a driver who was under the influence.

Georgia DUI Rates

Using data from the CDC, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and FBI crime reports, the U.S. Drug Test Centers created a list of the worst states for DUIs (driving under the influence). Georgia ranked in the middle of the pack in the 23rd spot.

According to the DUI statistics analyzed, Georgia saw nearly 348 DUI-related arrests per 100,000 people in 2018. The national DUI-rate arrest rate was about 309 per 100,000 people.

Anti-drunk driving campaigns, harsher laws and penalties, and the rise of ridesharing have reduced drunk driving and arrest rates. Yet alcohol impairment continues to be a significant factor in traffic accident fatalities, contributing to 25% of deaths in 2019.

Drunk Driving Facts

• Drivers with a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 0.08% or higher are considered to be alcohol-impaired.
• Impairment is not determined by the type of drink but by the amount of alcohol drunk over time.
• Men account for nearly 3 in 4 DUI arrests in 2018.
• Whites account for 81% of DUI arrests in 2018.
• Adults in their 20s make up one-third of DUI arrests.
• U.S. law enforcement arrested over 1 million people for DUI in 2018, 1 in 10 of total arrests made.
• 50-75% of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license.
• The average drunk driver has driven drunk over 80 times before their first arrest.
• The percentage of Georgia adults who admitted to driving after drinking too much in the past 30 days was 1.6% in 2019.
• Every day about 800 people are injured in drunk driving crashes.
• More than 300,000 people were injured in drunk driving accidents in 2017.
• One in three traffic deaths in the U.S. involved a drunk driver.
• 30 people are killed in drunk driving incidents every day.
• 3,241 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver from 2009 to 2018 in Georgia.

Georgia DUI Laws

Drivers in Georgia can be charged with DUI if their BAC is 0.08% or higher. If you are arrested for a DUI in Georgia, you have to deal with both the criminal case against you and having your license suspended.

The Georgia criminal courts will prosecute the criminal case. If convicted, the Georgia courts may impose criminal penalties such as fines, jail time, and public service.

The Georgia Department of Driver Services may impose administrative penalties which include the suspension or revocation of your license. If you have been convicted of a DUI in another state or commonwealth, you will be unable to obtain a Georgia license until all of the state or commonwealth’s reinstatement requirements have been met.

The higher your BAC, the more severe the criminal and financial penalties may be.

Georgia Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers and their team have seen and listened to injured victims or families of a loved one killed in a DUI accident. It’s an unfortunately common occurrence — two out of three people will be involved in a car accident with a drunk driver at some point in their life.

But we know how to fight back.

In Georgia, you are allowed to pursue punitive damages in addition to typical compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages are used to punish the drunk driver in civil court and hopefully deter them from making the same tragic mistake in the future.

Get justice if you or a loved one was injured in a DUI accident. Any driver who gets behind the wheel while intoxicated or drugged should be held accountable when their actions cause pain for others.

Contact Gary Martin Hays & Associates today at (770) 934-8000. Our expert car accident lawyers understand what it takes to investigate DUI crashes and help victims receive maximum compensation for their injuries.