“A drunk driving (DUI/DWI) charge can put much at risk.”
That bottom-line point stressed by a proven Georgia criminal defense source relevant to impaired driving arrests and convictions in the state is clear enough, right?
And yet even an admonition like that arguably understates the stark downsides that can potentially accrue for a motorist pulled over by a police officer or state trooper.
A Georgia drunk driving charge: What’s on the line?
Following is a real-world scenario that plays out routinely on Georgia roadways.
You’ve just on the way home after having a drink or two – perhaps more – with friends after work (or maybe you dined out, were at a sports event or otherwise engaged; we know that readers get the point).
And then the flashing lights materialize right behind you. An ordeal fraught with possibly adverse consequences is about to begin.
Make no mistake: State law enforcers take a harsh and uncompromising stance when they pull over a vehicle with a driver they suspect is impaired. Georgia drunk driving laws are among the most stringent in the nation.
State drivers often underestimate just how painful a DUI/DWI stop can turn out to be. The above-cited legal source spotlights potential penalties like these:
- Punitive fines ranging from court costs and fees to other exactions
- Spiked insurance rates
- License suspension/revocation (serious in any case, sometimes career ending for a professional driver)
- Jail time
Those downsides alone are severe enough, but a Georgia government website addressing impaired driving laws and penalties underscores that they can be materially added to in many cases.
Mandatory community service is imposed on even first-time offenders, for example. Repeat offenders face ignition interlock device requirements. Authorities can outright seize a license plate. Some convicted drivers must undergo a mandatory clinical evaluation and complete a substance abuse program. And, of course, second and subsequent DUI convictions can yield truly lengthy incarceration terms.
Taking a proactive stance in defending against a DUI charge
Time is often of the essence for a Georgia motorist charged with drunk driving, and so too is that individual’s need to secure knowledgeable and aggressive help from an experienced legal advocate.
A seasoned defense attorney will closely examine – and, when necessary, challenge – every element of a drunk driving arrest and charge. That advocacy will extend to issues involving alleged probable cause for a stop, field sobriety tests, breath/blood tests and more.
A DUI charge is a starkly serious matter. A targeted motorist can respond meaningfully to it by securing timely and rigorous criminal defense assistance.