Author: Jenny Chiem

In addition to annual maintenance, here are some tips to winterize your car:

• Test your battery; battery power drops as the temperature drop
• If using all-season tires, check the tread on your tires and replace if less than 2/32 of an inch
• Check the tire pressure; tire pressure drops as the temperature drops
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze
  

  How to Avoid a Crash Avoid using cruise control in wintry conditions

  • Steer in the direction of a skid, so when your wheels regain traction, you don’t have to overcorrect to stay in your lane
  • Accelerate and decelerate slowly
  • Increase following distance to 8 to 10 seconds
  • If possible, don’t stop when going uphill

There is a lot of very useful and informative information in driving 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!

5 things to do after a hit-and-run in Georgia

Getting into an accident can be frightening, and when the other driver flees the scene, the scenario can be even more stressful. Knowing what steps to take in advance can help you make sure you take care of everything you need to do.

1. Check for injuries and call 911: Your first priority is your safety and the safety of those around you. Check yourself, your passengers and anyone else involved for injuries and call the emergency services if there’s a need.
2. Move your car: If you can, move your car to a safe spot nearby, such as a shoulder or nearby parking lot. You shouldn’t move too far from the accident scene, but getting out of the flow of traffic is the safest option.
3. File a police report: The police can help you record details about the other driver that you remember, take witness statements, and could eventually find the at-fault party.
4. Take pictures of your car: If it is safe to do so, take photos of the damage to your vehicle and record the details of the accident. Doing this as soon as possible after the crash could help you keep a record of what happened.
5. File an insurance claim: If you want to file a claim on your own insurance policy, you can call your company to do so. Many companies also have claims services on a mobile app or website. You may want to provide the police report number and the photos of your damage.

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!

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.