Athens Law Blog

From toasts at weddings to beers at a football game, alcohol is a part of many cherished American traditions. Although some type of booze mixes with every soda pop, alcohol never mixes with driving a car, working with machinery or being below the proper age.

Georgia maintains a few legal ways for a minor to drink but nearly all involve the permission and involvement of a parent or legal guardian. As children approach the age of 21, especially if they are living at college or away from their parents, it often becomes more tempting through peer pressure and other motivations to drink before their time.

Alcohol-related accidents are no rare event, and thousands of people in Georgia are involved in DUI accidents each year, many with fatal consequences. Law enforcement and safety advocates have pressed for stricter laws and heavier penalties to deter drivers from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. However, there is a more sinister danger than alcohol on the roads these days.

Drugged driving is quickly becoming as common and dangerous as drunk driving. Surveys show that about 10 million drivers in the U.S. admit to operating a vehicle under the influence of illegal substances. As more and more Americans take opioid prescriptions for pain management, it is certain that number is higher. If you are facing charges for driving under the influence of drugs, you have a right to be concerned about your future.

Drivers and passengers are not the only people on the road who may be at risk due to careless or reckless driving. Pedestrians and bicyclists are everywhere, especially in built-up areas like suburbs, towns and cities. And they have far fewer protections in the case of a collision.

A local police department in southern Georgia's Crisp County is investigating an accident in which the driver of a sedan struck an 11-year-old child while he was crossing the road. The incident happened during the evening after dark on a state route in a commercial district.

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is more serious than a lot of other bad ideas. The high speeds and careless driving often attributed to drunk people behind the wheel can cause severe damage, serious injury or even death.

Georgia and many other states see an increase in drunk or high driving around the holidays when people have more free time and more miles to cover. Authorities across the Peach State arrested more than 300 people on drunk driving charges over the extended Thanksgiving weekend. Crashes in general investigated by the Georgia State Police over that time, numbering over 600, resulted in 242 injuries and 10 deaths on the road.