Athens GA DUI Law Blog

An Atlanta City councilwoman who was arrested last week for allegedly driving drunk has reported that she will not let the arrest affect her ability and desire "to work hard for the citizens." Cleta Winslow has held her council position since 1993. She told reporters after her arrest that she will not let the arrest get in her way of running for re-election.

A DUI arrest in Georgia may certainly result in legal consequences, but it can also have a negative impact on one's professional life. Already folks have speculated whether the long-time councilwoman will resign because of her recent run-in with the law; however, Winslow appears to be confident that she will not be convicted of drunk driving. She has consulted an attorney to protect her rights, and her attorney has denied any allegations that the councilwoman was impaired when she was arrested last week.

The legal age to consume alcohol in Georgia is 21. However, many folks in Athens and throughout the country understand that many teens and young adults have consumed alcohol on one or several occasions by the time they turn 21. And because parents can't always control what their teens do, many parents do try to make sure their teens understand the importance of drinking responsibly in order to avoid causing harm to themselves or others if they do partake in underage drinking.

To the surprise of many parents, though, the results of a recent survey suggest that many teens are making dangerous decisions when they choose to consume alcohol.

According to the survey, about 1 in 4 teens admit to drinking and driving, or using drugs and driving. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal and dangerous; however, the survey also revealed that nearly half of the teens who admitted to drinking and driving do not think that alcohol, marijuana or other drugs affect their ability to drive safely. Even though young drivers may not be drunk, they should understand that they may still be arrested for drunk driving and face serious criminal charges.

Earlier this year on our Athens, Georgia, DUI defense law blog, we had mentioned that lawmakers were pushing to lower the legal alcohol limit for boaters in Georgia. Before hitting the waters this summer and relaxing on your boat with a cold beer in your hand, you should know that the legal limit has indeed been changed.

Up until now, boaters could legally operate boats in Georgia while sipping a cold beer as long as boaters did not exceed the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.10. As many of our readers may already know, the legal alcohol limit for driving a vehicle is a bit lower. However, the limit will soon be the same for operating a boat as it is for driving. In Georgia, the legal blood alcohol limit for operating a boat will be changed to 0.08 as of next month.

Boaters who exceed the new limit this summer could face serious penalties similar to the consequences folks face for a first-time or subsequent drunk driving arrest.

The consequences of a drunk driving violation can extend far beyond the criminal penalties. A conviction (or even an arrest) can disrupt a person's career and significantly impact their future.

The recent arrest of a Georgia college freshman illustrates just how serious the consequences of drunk driving can be. The 19-year-old student, a promising athlete, was dismissed from the University of Georgia's baseball team almost immediately after his coach became aware that he had gotten caught driving under the influence of alcohol.