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 25-year-old woman was arrested after she called police to report that her car had been vandalized. The woman went to two bars then attempted to drive home. While en route she fatally struck a 35-year-old pedestrian. The driver left the scene and later called police when she found her windshield shattered, extensive front end damage to her car, and the hood sunken in.
When police asked the woman how she got home she replied, "I hope I didn't drive home."
Officers found glass fragments that matched the windshield on the driver's pants and shirt. According to the police report the woman's speech was slurred, her balance was impaired and her eyes were bloodshot. Her BAC at the police station several hours after the accident was 0.20 percent.
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.