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 Native American man in another state who appeared as the face of his tribe in its advertising for a tourist attraction was sentenced for more than 17 years in prison for his fifth DUI. The judge sad that the man's drunken driving history was a significant factor in the harsh sentencing decision.
The man had his first DUI conviction in 1992 and was convicted in an alcohol-related vehicular manslaughter case in 1999. He had subsequent drunken driving convictions in 2008, 2012 and two in 2014. A jury found him guilty of DUI in a head-on crash that injured the man, four passengers in his car, and the driver of another car. He was also found guilty of five assault counts for injuries to other parties.
The man appears in a Native American headdress and tribal attire in print and Internet advertisements for his tribe's tourist attractions. His image is on numerous billboards and the tribe announced that it will continue to use the recognizable face.
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? Contact Shane Smith Law to schedule a free legal consultation.