Department of Driver Services (DDS) Commissioner Spencer R. Moore recently announced the receipt of a grant award of $50,182.86 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) for the continued support of the State of Georgia Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP).
ADAP is a course designed to increase awareness among teens of the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol and the consequences of operating a motor vehicle while impaired or distracted.
“We are grateful for the continued help and support received from GOHS to address the risks associated with operating a motor vehicle while impaired,” said Commissioner Moore. “This partnership allows us to bring this important program to teen drivers and their parents throughout the state and ultimately make our roads safer.”
Teens drivers, by law, under the age of 18 are required to complete ADAP to obtain their Class D Georgia driver’s license!
In 2019, 129,346 students completed the program either at their high school, as part of a driver training course, or online through eADAP.
This grant award will be used to fund an Operations Analyst who provides technical assistance related to ADAP and eADAP services, responds to customer emails and telephone calls, maintains close communication with instructors, assist teens with obtaining replacement certificates, produces comprehensive reports and trains instructors to teach the ADAP curriculum.
Make sure that your car’s equipment is in working order before encountering rainy weather. Check your headlights, taillights, and windshield wipers to make sure that they will work efficiently when they are needed. Also, check the tread of your vehicle’s tires. Balding tires can severely reduce traction on wet roadways.
2. Slow Down
Not only should you adhere to the posted speed limit when driving in wet weather conditions, but you should also drive considerably slower than you normally would. Wet roads are very dangerous. Your vehicle’s reaction time is much slower when it is raining. Reduced speed is imperative in rainy weather.
3. Turn On Your Headlights
Most states require drivers to turn on their vehicles’ lights while driving in rain. Even if it is only misting, turning on your vehicle’s headlights will increase both your own visibility and other drivers’ ability to see your car on the road.
4. Maintain a Safe Distance Between Cars
Keep a greater distance between your vehicle and the car in front of you. Stopping your vehicle will be more difficult when driving in the rain. Maintain a distance of several car lengths between your car and other vehicles.
4. Avoid Heavy Breaking
Try to slow your vehicle by taking your foot off the accelerator earlier than you normally would in preparation to slow down or stop. Don’t use cruise control so your attention on using both the gas and brake is in tune.
5. Watch Out For Standing Water
Driving through standing water can cause hydroplaning to occur. Which is when you lose traction and skid across the surface of the road. To avoid hydroplaning, drive around places where water has collected by changing lanes or safely steering around such areas.
6. Let Off The Gas When Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is one of the most common car accidents in the rain because drivers can lose control. If your car hydroplanes, calmly take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction that the front of your car needs to go. Avoid making sudden turns or slamming on your brakes.
Staying safe while driving in the rain is simple if you make a conscious effort to employ these safety precautions. Remember that reducing your speed and turning on your lights are two of the simplest and most effective ways of reducing the chances of an accident caused by wet weather!
Consider taking a driving course at A-1 if you are interested in learning more rules and regulations such as these. 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.
The same safe driving practices that are taught in A-1’s Defensive Driving Class can be applied to be a safe driver in a car and on a motorcycle!
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!
Photo: Google Images
Teen drivers that graduate 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 the 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 a defensive driving course.
Around the time of the COVID-19 outbreak in March, Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard met with public safety officials and discussed the recent changes in the law concerning hemp and misdemeanor marijuana charges.
“One of the things that all of the chiefs and the public (safety) executives that were in the discussion with me agreed was not knowing when testing by the state would be available — (from) the (Georgia Bureau of Investigation)—and what the testing procedures would be,” she said.
Woodard said there was concern from law enforcement about taking someone into custody with cases that could not be immediately addressed. The solicitor general said the Georgia Hemp Farming Act created a “collateral consequence” of a testing issue for the GBI misdemeanor marijuana testing.
The result has been to move to a citation in lieu of an arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana when that is the only charge. Misdemeanor possession of marijuana is less than an ounce.
The hemp act became law on May 10, 2019, which was intended to “allow farmers and businesses to begin to cultivate, handle, and process hemp and sell hemp products for commercial purposes,” according to the act’s text.
As a result, some jurisdictions changed their policies regarding misdemeanor marijuana. Gwinnett County decided to no longer prosecute any misdemeanor marijuana cases with an arrest date on or after May 10, 2019, according to a memorandum dated Aug. 7, 2019.
Hemp has 0.3% or less of THC, the main psychoactive element, whereas marijuana has 5% or higher.
DUI Laws | What You Need to Know
The laws make it illegal for drivers of all ages to operate motor vehicles if they have BAC percentages of:
0.08% or higher, if they’re 21 years old or older operating regular passenger vehicles.
0.04% or higher, if they’re operating commercial vehicles.
0.02% or higher, if they’re younger than 21 years old.
Georgia State law also requires a 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:
DUI
Drug Possession
Other drug offenses
Under-age possession of drugs or alcohol
Before getting behind the wheel after having a few, consider the many reasons why you should not.
Though most city roads have the provision of zebra crossing near traffic signals and other intersections, drivers seem to show a disregard for them as they can often be seen violating norms.
At places where zebra crossings are available, vehicles are required to be stopped behind them but at most such places, vehicles can be seen standing on these lines, which hardly leaves any place for pedestrians to cross.
“People do not have the habit of following simple traffic etiquette or maybe they are not even aware. There is a need to impart education on traffic etiquette so that people start following the rules,” said an elderly Jagjit Singh.
Right-of-way laws determine who must yield to whom when entering roadways, making turns, changing lanes, and crossing intersections in and out of crosswalks. Right-of-way differs depending on where the driver or pedestrian is located. It also depends on the circumstances in which a person or driver enters an intersection.
One thing to note is that Georgia’s right-of-way laws do not state who has the right-of-way. Rather, they state who is required to yield the right-of-way in certain instances. For example, a driver must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian who is inside a crosswalk.
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 be 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.
Drivers who have been putting the pedal to the metal during the COVID-19 pandemic need to hit the brakes or expect to see blue lights in the rearview mirror when the “Operation Southern Shield” speed enforcement and awareness campaign begins Monday, July 20.
The southeastern regional campaign returns for a fourth year after reducing traffic deaths in Georgia in the first three years of the week-long enforcement period compared to the week before and after the enforcement effort.
This year’s “Southern Shield” campaign reinforces the message on the dangers of driving above the legal speed limit as fewer vehicles traveling on interstates and major highways during the pandemic have contributed to an increase in speeding in Georgia and the nation.
”The sharp decrease in the number of people traveling on our roads during the pandemic has not led to a corresponding drop in the number of traffic deaths according to preliminary data from the Georgia Department of Transportation,” Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Allen Poole said.
“The increased speeding this year is further proof driving over the speed limit significantly increases your chances of being in a crash that results in severe or fatal injuries.”
Preliminary data from the Georgia Department of Transportation shows Southern Shield has saved lives in Georgia in the last three years. When the campaign was held July 15-21 last year, the number of traffic deaths in Georgia was 29 percent lower in the final two weeks of the month compared to the first two.
Seventy people were killed in traffic crashes from July 1-14 and 50 from July 15-29.
Photo: Google Images
There are many reasons an individual might elect or be required to take the 6-hour Defensive Driving Class:
Ticket Dismissal
Many Courts in Georgia will dismiss a ticket for a traffic violation if the offender completes the 6-hour Defensive Driving Program prior to going to Court. If dismissed, there will be no points placed on your driving record and your insurance will not increase.
Points Reduction
You may complete the 6-hour Defensive Driving Program once every 5 years to remove up to 7 points from your record to prevent your license from being revoked.
License Suspension
If your license has been suspended, you must complete the 6-hour Defensive Driving Program before your license is reinstated.
Fine Reduction
The 6-hour Defensive Driving Program may be taken for a 20% reduction of the traffic fine and may result in the court not adding points to your record.
Insurance Discounts
If you have a clean driving record for 3 years, you may take the 6-hour Defensive Driving Program to receive a 10% -15% discount on your auto insurance premium. The insurance discount percentage is determined by your insurance company.
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:
DUI
Drug Possession
Other drug offenses
Under-age possession of drugs or alcohol
Before getting behind the wheel after having a few, consider the many reasons why you should not.
Volvo is recalling 307,653 of its vehicles in the U.S.—and more than 2.1 million vehicles worldwide—for an issue with the front seatbelts.
As Automotive News reported, the automaker has discovered that a steel cable made by Autoliv that anchors the front seatbelts to the car could become weakened, potentially reducing the seatbelt’s restraining ability.
The affected vehicles were built between 2006 and 2019.
They include the S60 ncluding the S60L and S60 Cross Country, S80 and S80L, V60 and V60 Cross Country, V70 wagons, and XC60 and XC70 SUVs.
A Volvo spokesperson confirmed that it isn’t aware of any injuries or accidents that have resulted from the cable problem.
Volvo will contact owners to have the cable replaced at no charge beginning on August 25 of this year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
Whether you have been driving for years or you are a brand new driver, A-1 offers classes that will help you brush up on some rules and regulations before it’s too late.
If you have a clean driving record for 3 years, you may take the 6-hour Defensive Driving Program to receive a 10% -15% discount on your auto insurance premium. The insurance discount percentage is determined by your insurance company.
A 60-year-old man with three DUI convictions on his record was arrested on another drunk-driving charge after being found shirtless and passed out in his truck in a store parking lot.
Photo: ocala-news.com
Mark James Havens, was charged with DUI (fourth or subsequent offense).
A deputy on-site observed the keys were still in the ignition. Havens had bloodshot eyes, his speech was slurred, and the smell of intoxicating beverages was emitting from within the vehicle.
Havens told the deputy he drank “a few” beers earlier in the day, the report said.
Another deputy responded and observed the vehicle was parked at an odd angle and was halfway out of the parking space, with the passenger-side front and rear tires in the grass. The second deputy observed Havens’ face was flushed, his eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his speech was slow, slurred, and mumbled, according to the report.
Havens failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken to Jail, where a breathalyzer test came back with results of .132 and .115.
A records check showed Havens was convicted of DUI in 1985 and 1990 in Georgia, and 2014 in Marion County, the report said.
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:
“Drowsy driving is often overlooked in the discussion of the types of behaviors like impaired and distracted driving that cause deadly crashes on our roads,” Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Allen Poole said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 795 people were killed in drowsy driving crashes nationwide in 2017. However, that number is believed to be higher since it is difficult for investigators to determine if drowsiness was the cause of many fatal crashes involving lone drivers.
Teen drivers are considered to be one of the most vulnerable age groups for drowsy driving crashes and a majority of these types of crashes for drivers of all age groups happen overnight, often on rural roads and highways.
Photo: Google Images
It’s not always easy to tell when you’re too tired to drive. Here are some signs that it’s time to pull over:
Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
Trouble keeping your head up
Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
Feeling restless and irritable
The same safe driving practices that are taught in A-1’s Defensive Driving Class can apply to be 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.
The Independence Day holiday travel period is now set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th at midnight, a total of 54 hours.
Photo: Google Images
Local and state law enforcement are making it a priority to target speeders, distracted and impaired drivers!
The Georgia State Patrol and Motor Carrier Compliance Division also want to remind drivers about the Georgia Hands-Free Law, which went into effect two years ago. Since then, almost 50,000 tickets have been issued.
The 2019 Independence Day holiday travel period was 102 hours long. During that time span, state troopers were called to 571 traffic accidents which were tied to 427 injuries and 17 fatalities.
More than 12,000 tickets were issued spanning from seat belt and child restraint violations, with 16, 846 warnings and 422 DUI arrests.
Colonel Gary Vowell, the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said “Despite restraints under COVID-19 guidelines, social distancing, wearing masks and timelines for re-opening states, motorists still plan to travel the roadways in celebration of the beginning of summer and family and friends will be participating in Fourth of July events. The Department of Public Safety wants everyone to put safety first by following the posted speed limit, not driving while impaired, making sure all occupants are restrained, keeping your hands off of your cell phones, and adhering to social distancing guidelines, wearing masks when necessary.”
Georgia State Patrol will also be enforcing Operation Zero Tolerance, which is aimed at fighting impaired drivers along with speeders and distracted drivers. AAA reports 97% of travelers will travel in a car and troopers, officers and deputies will be working together to cut down on roadway risks.
DUI Laws | What You Need to Know
The laws make it illegal for drivers of all ages to operate motor vehicles if they have BAC percentages of:
0.08% or higher, if they’re 21 years old or older operating regular passenger vehicles.
0.04% or higher, if they’re operating commercial vehicles.
0.02% or higher, if they’re younger than 21 years old.
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:
DUI
Drug Possession
Other drug offenses
Under-age possession of drugs or alcohol
Before getting behind the wheel after having a few, consider the many reasons why you should not.
