According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DUI accident fatalities increased from 9,865 in 2011 to 10,322 in 2013. The NHTSA reported that the majority of DUI accidents with fatalities involved drivers whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.15 percent or higher, or almost twice the legal limit. A 2006 study by the NHTSA estimated that there is one drunk driving fatality in the United States every 30 minutes.
Georgia's Driving Under the Influence Laws are complex. Georgia DUI injury attorney Shane Smith can sort through the intermingled laws that potentially create complications in a DUI case.
A 53-year-old man in another state was rearrested and charged with DUI manslaughter after being released from custody earlier following a fatal pedestrian accident.
The driver was initially arrested and charged with DUI after an early morning accident where he struck a pedestrian. The driver said he did not see the pedestrian and officers arrested him noting that he had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He was released on bail the next day.
The man subsequently was interviewed by a local TV station. During the interview he admitted he had "a couple drinks" before driving. He had also been arrested three times previously for DUI.
Based on the TV interview the police rearrested the man and charged him with vehicular manslaughter.
If you have questions about Georgia DUI laws, get the answers in Clayton County DUI injury attorney Shane Smith's book, I Was Hit By a Drunk Driver: What Do I Do Next?
If a death is caused by the negligence of another then the decedent's family may be entitled to legal relief through a wrongful death lawsuit. You should hire an experienced Clayton County wrongful death attorney if you will file a lawsuit on behalf of a family member who died due to another's negligence. Call Shane Smith Law for a free consultation.