Month: December 2021

State troopers and local law enforcement officers are stepping up traffic enforcement during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season and will take any drunk or drugged driver they find to jail. No excuses! No exceptions!

The increased enforcement effort is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ mobilization, which runs from December 15, 2021 – January 2, 2022.

Georgia law enforcement officers and highway safety advocates are urging anyone planning to include alcohol in their celebration to include a plan for a ride with a sober driver, cab, or rideshare.

GEORGIA DUI LAWS:

Georgia drivers can be charged with DUI if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 percent or higher.

When you are arrested for a DUI in Georgia, you’ll have to deal with both a criminal case and a separate license suspension. The Georgia Department of Driver Services will handle your license suspension pursuant to the implied consent laws and the GA criminal courts will prosecute the criminal case.

What happens in court won’t have any bearing on the status of your driver’s license and vice versa.

The Georgia courts impose criminal penalties including:

• Fines;
• Jail time;
• Public service.

The Department of Driver Services imposes administrative penalties including:

• Suspension or revocation of your license.

The higher your BAC, the more severe your penalties may be. Multiple convictions will also result in harsher sentences.

The state with the lowest drunken driving rate in the nation? That commendable distinction went to Delaware, with 44.3 DUI arrests per 100,000 people.

Men are far more likely than women to be arrested on drunken driving charges, as males accounted for nearly three in four DUI arrests in 2018, according to U.S. Drug Test Centers.

Additionally, whites accounted for 81.2 percent of DUI arrests in 2018, according to the report.

Georgia State law also requires clinical evaluation and the attendance of a DUI / Risk Reduction Program that’s certified/licensed by the Georgia Department of Driver’s Services before your driver’s license can be reinstated if you have been charged with any of the following:

1. DUI
2. Drug Possession
3. Other drug offenses
4. Under-age possession of drugs or alcohol

For more information about DUI School visit www.a1drivingschools.com or call (770) 962-9555!

What Are Georgia’s Rules for Crossing Intersections? 

Pedestrians must cross intersections at a crosswalk. While most people consider a crosswalk as the pathway across the intersection denoted with white lines (i.e., a marked crosswalk), it is important to note that there are both marked and unmarked crosswalks.

An unmarked crosswalk is a line between one side of the roadway and the other. The only way this differs from a marked crosswalk is that there are no distinguishing marks.

If a pedestrian is in either a marked or unmarked crosswalk, he has the right-of-way. Drivers must yield to pedestrians already inside these crosswalks, regardless of whether the driver has a green light or not.

What Responsibilities Do Drivers Have?

According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, motorists must stop and stay stopped for pedestrians at crosswalks. Drivers must stay put until the pedestrian has vacated the driver’s side of the road.

Georgia law also holds that a driver cannot overtake another motorist who has stopped for a pedestrian.

What Responsibilities Do Pedestrians Have?

Pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to drivers outside of crosswalks. While you can cross the street outside of a crosswalk, you must wait until traffic has cleared. If a pedestrian is hit outside a crosswalk, they might be liable for any injuries he sustains.

While pedestrians do have the right-of-way in crosswalks, Georgia’s crosswalk laws dictate that “no pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield.”

If you step into a crosswalk in front of oncoming traffic and suffer injuries in an accident, you might be liable for your own injuries.

The same safe driving practices that are taught in A-1’s Defensive Driving Class can apply to being a safe driver in a car and on a motorcycle. There is a lot of very useful and informative information in the class and it will apply whether you have been driving for years or you are a brand new driver.

For more information about class schedules or to see A-1’s 19 convenient locations call (770)962-9555 or visit us at www.a1drivingschools.com!

Robert Boren, 49, of Suwanee, died in a hospital after he was injured in the wreck, according to Gwinnett police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera.

Officers were sent to the intersection of Collins Hill and Russell roads in Lawrenceville, Pihera said.

Police said Boren was heading straight when the driver of a Honda Accord tried to make a left turn and hit him.  The driver and a passenger in the Accord were not hurt, she said.

Both vehicles were impounded after the crash, which is still under investigation.

The problem: Air entering a gap between the hood and the grille could cause the hood latch striker to weaken and potentially separate. If this happens, the hood could open while the vehicle is in motion. Honda has been investigating the issue since July 2016 and issued a technical service bulletin in December 2017.

The fix: Depending on the individual vehicle, Honda dealerships may repair the hood, install a striker support plate, or even completely replace the hood with a new part. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners who have already paid for a related repair should contact their Honda dealership about a reimbursement.

How to contact the manufacturer: Honda will mail notification letters to owners of affected vehicles starting January 17, 2022. Owners may also contact Honda at 888-234-2138.

NHTSA campaign number: 21V932. Honda’s own number for this recall is PBV.

Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA’s website) will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.

If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.

Consider taking a driving course at A-1 if you are interested in learning more rules and regulations, for very useful and informative information to stay safe on the road. This class can be applied to your daily driving practices whether you have been driving for years or you are a brand new driver.

The same safe driving practices that are taught in A-1’s Defensive Driving Class can be applied to being a safe driver in a car and on a motorcycle!

For more information about class schedules or to see A-1’s 19 convenient locations call (770)962-9555 or visit us at www.a1drivingschools.com.

The first couple of years of driving for a teenager are statistically the most dangerous of all. Teen drivers can lower their car crash risk by enrolling in a defensive driving course!

Teen drivers that graduate from a defensive driving course can get the following benefits:

• Learning the fundamentals of driving
  • Teen drives will learn the traffic rules in a systemic way.
• Builds confidence
  • The first time behind the wheels can be a scary or stressful experience for a teen driver. Teen drivers can practice in a safe environment, where they can build confidence in their abilities and skills as they learn how to drive with the help of an experienced driver.
• Shows them the risks
  • Teen drivers need to be aware that driving is dangerous. Being too nervous is dangerous, but if a teen driver is not nervous at all, it means he is not aware of how risky driving can be. Teens will learn how dangerous driving can be and what risks are involved. They will also learn how to avoid those risks.
• Learning the consequences
  • In this course, teens will learn about the effects of driving under influence (DUI). Teen drivers will also learn they will have to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of others.
• Practice time
  • Teenagers will practice their driving skills in a safe, supervised environment. Teen drivers can learn driving techniques from qualified instructors and can develop their skills.
• Learn the state’s laws
  • Traffic laws differ from one state to another. Depending on which state the teen driver is taking the course, he will be presented with the laws of that state.
• Cheaper insurance premiums
  • Insurance companies place teen drivers in the high-risk category, thus they have to pay more for their insurance. One way for teen drivers to lower their car insurance rates is by graduating from a defensive driving course.

For additional info about class schedules or to see A-1’s 19 convenient locations call (770)962-9555 or visit us at www.a1drivingschools.com!