Athens GA DUI Law Blog

Over the weekend, a University of Georgia student was taken into custody by Athens-Clarke County Police after officers noticed the student urinating by a parked vehicle near North Thomas Street. After approaching the woman, police determined that the 20-year-old appeared to be drunk and charged her with underage possession or consumption of alcohol.

University of Georgia students may be fully aware of state laws regarding drinking and driving. If an individual is pulled over by Georgia police and has a blood alcohol reading of 0.08 or higher, the driver will be charged with DUI. Because of the dangers of drunk driving and the legal consequences one may face after being arrested for DUI, many students take precautions to arrange for sober drivers or to walk home if they have been drinking at the bars or at parties.

However, Georgia college students may not always consider that they can also face criminal charges for public drunkenness, and they can certainly face legal penalties and other consequences at school if they are caught consuming alcohol under the legal age of 21. At the University of Georgia in particular, students could face academic probation or suspension for such charges.

No one wants to be arrested for drunk driving, but there are instances when college students and other Georgia residents get behind the wheel of a vehicle without realizing that they may in fact be legally drunk. If these drivers are pulled over for any minor traffic offense, they could suddenly find themselves under arrest for DUI.

So how can University of Georgia students and other Athens residents who are confident that they are fully capable of driving tell if their blood alcohol concentration is at or above the legal limit of 0.08 before driving in order to avoid a DUI arrest?

The most obvious answer is to not drive at all after one has been drinking. Individuals who know that they will be getting at least one beer at the bar may want to arrange to take a cab home or to call a sober driver. But if Athens residents are adamant about driving after drinking, they can download a phone app that could help them to understand just how much of an effect even a small amount of alcohol could have on their bodies.

Atlanta police reported that a Georgia state representative was pulled over last week and arrested for driving drunk. The Republican lawmaker allegedly failed field sobriety tests and breath tests after he was stopped for running a red light, according to the police report.

The arrest occurred on Jan. 13. The 29-year-old man had just left a local restaurant when an Atlanta police officer reported that the man drove through the intersection of Peachtree Road and Pharr Road as the traffic light turned red. When the officer stopped the man in his vehicle and informed the lawmaker about why he had been pulled over, the officer reported that he could smell alcohol on the man's breath.

Every year, college students across the U.S. don't seem to have any problems finding someone they can purchase a fake ID from so that they can get into the bars with their peers from the football team or to buy alcohol for a party. However, selling fraudulent identifications in Georgia is a serious offense and being caught in possession of a fake license during a checkpoint stop or at the bar could result in criminal charges.

According to reports, police are investigating a possible fake ID ring in the area after University of Georgia police were alerted over the summer about fake licenses that were being sold to students. The investigation began in August and so far one person has been arrested. Four students from UGA and Gainesville State College are also under investigation for allegedly making and distributing fake licenses to hundreds of students.

Drinking and driving is a serious crime in the state of Georgia. As a result, even individuals who are charged with first-offense DUI could face serious consequences such as a lengthy license suspension or jail time. Additionally, a DUI arrest could have a significant impact on the lives of college students who are beginning to look for jobs after they graduate this year.

A senior at the University of Georgia may certainly be questioning her decision to drive Friday morning after she allegedly had one too many drinks and was arrested by University police for DUI. She and other students who have been in her position may understand that they should not have been operating a vehicle after drinking, but it is important that these individuals also understand that they need to protect their rights in order to preserve their reputations as they head into the workforce and begin to start their careers as young professionals.

When it comes to defending DUI charges in Georgia, attorneys will investigate the circumstances of a traffic stop as well as any evidence that may have illegally been obtained prior to an arrest. Although examining the evidence and facts is extremely important when defending DUI charges, making note of one's reputation can also be beneficial.

An individual who has been charged for the first time with drunk driving with no criminal record may be able to convince a judge to reduce one's penalties by explaining that he or she made a horrible mistake that will never happen again. After all, we are only human.

However, a recent study that analyzes the effects of alcohol suggests that even though some individuals may be fully aware that they are drunk, they may still choose to do things that they shouldn't, despite knowing the harm it could cause to others.

Before you go out celebrating this evening, you may want to consider downloading an app for your iPhone or Android in order to prevent you or your friends from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after welcoming the New Year with a few glasses of champagne.

As we discussed earlier this week on our Athens, Georgia, DUI law blog, a drunk driving arrest can have serious consequences, such as temporarily losing one's license up to one year, even if an individual is never convicted of DUI. And with more people going out to celebrate New Year's Eve this weekend, Georgia police are preparing to make more stops in order crack down on drunk drivers and to prevent serious or fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers.

Earlier this week on our Athens, Georgia, DUI law blog, we discussed how it is legal for drivers to refuse to take field sobriety tests, urine tests and breath tests after being suspected of drunk driving and why some drivers may choose to do so in order to avoid DUI charges or a conviction.

However, refusing to take these tests could still result in an arrest if the officer has other evidence to support claims that an individual may have been drinking and driving. Refusing field sobriety and breath tests can be beneficial in some cases, but it can also result in serious consequences in Georgia, such as a license suspension.