The Georgia State Patrol post in Gainesville issued 200 citations during the New Year holiday period, and local law enforcement made at least 11 DUI arrests.

Georgia State Patrol Gainesville Post Commander Auston Allen said the post made two DUI arrests. The post had an average of 11 troopers working each day.

Allen did not specify what type of offenses led to the most citations during the holiday period.

According to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office online database, six DUI arrests were made between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

The hotspots for arrests and citations included: Interstate 985/Ga. 365, McEver Road, Martin Road, Winder Highway, Talmo Road, Cleveland Highway, Athens Highway, Clarks Bridge Road, Memorial Park Road, Thompson Bridge Road and Candler Highway.

Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derreck Booth said there were eight traffic units on Dec. 31 and two units on Jan. 1.

The Sheriff’s Office did not issue a jail log Jan. 2, citing its change to the online database system.

A-1 Driving School in Gainesville

Hours of Operation: Tuesday thru Thursday 10:30am to 6:00pm Friday 10:30am to 7:00pm Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm

Why A-1 Driving School in Gainsville?

The Gainesville location of A-1 Driving School is located at the corner of Jesse Jewel Parkway and Queen City Parkway. A-1 Driving School offers the Gainesville DUI School – Risk Reduction Program, Defensive Driving Program, and Teen/Adult Driver’s Education Program.

Gainesville DUI/Risk Reduction Class

Our DUI course is a 20-hour course and is offered every week. The Gainesville DUI School class – Risk Reduction course consists of the Assessment and a 20 hour class. The Assessment must be completed before the class is taken and will take between 25 and 45 minutes. The cost of the Gainesville program is $360 and is set by the State.

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

The driver was charged with driving under the influence in Savannah while transporting three elderly patients according to Georgia State Patrol Trooper Jamie Quinn.

The driver, Tahera Croom, 41, was discovered passed out at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Louisville Road while driving a gold Honda Odyssey after concerned motorists called the police to report the vehicle was stopped at a light partially in the intersection.

Quinn said a nearby trooper went to the scene and found the woman asleep behind the wheel.

Inside the van were three elderly female passengers. Quinn said the trooper detected the smell of alcohol and called medical personnel to the scene to determine the woman was not suffering from a medical issue.

Once it was determined that Croom had consumed alcohol and was not suffering from a medical condition, troopers attempted to initiate a field sobriety evaluation which Croom refused to submit to, Quinn said.

According to Quinn, the three elderly passengers who appeared to be suffering from mental disabilities were unable to provide the troopers with any information as to where they were coming from or going.

The women were taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah where they were fed and cared for until they were reunited with family.

 Croom was charged with DUI, operating a vehicle without a tag or decal, impeding traffic, improper reduction of speed, and improper display of license plates.

Georgia State law requires clinical evaluation and the attendance of the DUI 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 visit www.a1drivingschools.com or call (770) 962-9555!

A national drug testing company recently published a ranking of the states according to the rates of drunken driving, and Georgia finished in the middle of the pack.

The findings were based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Transportation and FBI crime reports.

Georgia ranked 23rd overall for drunken driving rates in 2018, with 308.7 DUI-related arrests per 100,000 people.

Other metrics cited in the report showed our state has:

• Short-term rate change in DUI arrest rate: 32.4 percent increase from 2014-2018
• Long-term rate change in DUI arrest rate: 12.8 percent decrease from 2009-2018

In the 10-year span from 2009 to 2018, Georgia peaked in 2009 with 398.74 arrests for every 100,000 people.

The United States overall has seen the population-adjusted rate of drunken driving arrests fall by more than 35 percent since 2009. Only three states — Delaware, Washington, and North Dakota — recorded an increase in DUI arrests from 2009 to 2018.

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!

Police said 32-year-old Norcross man Jaafar Bilal was transported to the hospital with serious injuries after the accident.

According to the preliminary investigation, the driver of the Toyota crossed the center line and struck the Mazda head-on. The Mazda spun around and came to rest facing the opposite direction.

The driver of the Ford attempted to maneuver around the collision but struck the rear of the Mazda in the process. The Ford eventually left the roadway on the right shoulder and came to rest against a tree, according to the accident report.

The accident report said the driver of the Toyota did not know what caused the collision and contested leaving their lane. The driver of the Ford told police the Toyota was moving quickly around the curve when it wobbled and struck the Mazda.

Police said additional details are being investigated in this case.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Jaafar Bilal. 

Tips And Techniques For Safe Curve Driving

1. Obey Posted Speed Limits: Speeding is at the top of the list for driving in general and if you don’t obey the rules of the roads; you’ll end up killing you or someone else. If there isn’t a speed limit sign near a curve, use good judgment and decrease your speed.
2. Stay In Your Lane: When approaching curves always scan ahead and stay between the lane-lines. Do not hug the curve too closely while driving in the outer lane. If you’re driving in the inner lane, try not to drift outward, which will cause an accident.
3. Decrease In/Accelerate Out: After the midway point of the curve it is good to speed up just a bit. This way you can begin to catch up with the posted speed limit of the area. The opposite is to slow down when entering, which gives you a safer approach by giving the driver more control of the vehicle. Straighten the steering wheel as you come out of the curve.

To stay safe on the road consider taking a defensive driving class. A-1 offers classes at 19 locations where you can learn more tricks and tips such as these!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that an average of 300 people died annually in drunk-driving-related crashes since 2013.

This month is more commonly associated with the holidays, which is the perfect time to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving.

While people all over the world are enjoying themselves, they are more exposed to alcohol and oftentimes, other substances. This makes the holidays one of the most dangerous seasons to be a driver or a passenger on the roads!

NHTSA’s 2013-2014 National Roadside Survey revealed that 20 percent of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs. Those struggling with drug addiction in Atlanta are encouraged to seek treatment for drugs.

The proportion of marijuana-positive drivers involved in fatal crashes increased from 8% in 2013 to 17% the next year(AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety).

The National Impaired Driving Prevention Month is a campaign that highlights the consequences of impaired driving. It reminds all drivers that drunk and drugged driving is considered impaired driving. Not only does it put the driver at risk, but it also endangers everyone sharing the road.

If someone refuses a breath test, it can no longer be held against that person in court. But if you refuse a blood test, it can still be held against you in court. 

A brake fluid leak on certain Nissan cars and SUVs could lead to a risk of fire prompting the automaker to recall about 394,000 vehicles in the United States.

An antilock brake actuator pump can leak onto a circuit board, causing electrical shorts and fires. Because of the risk, Nissan recommends owners park the vehicles outside and away from buildings if the antilock brake light is on for more than 10 seconds.

The recall covers 2015 to 2018 Nissan Murano SUVs, 2016 to 2018 Maxima sedans and 2017 to 2019 Infiniti QX60 and Nissan Pathfinder SUVs (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

This is the second recall for some of the same vehicles. In 2018, Nissan dealers inspected parts but did not replace the pumps if the fluid wasn’t leaking.

Dealers will now replace pumps on all of the vehicles.

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.

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!

Chandler Parsons’ attorneys say the Atlanta Hawks forward suffered “severe and permanent injuries” in a car wreck last week that could jeopardize his career.

Attorneys John Morgan and Nick Panagakis of the firm Morgan & Morgan say the injuries Parsons suffered include a traumatic brain injury, disk herniation and a torn labrum. Parsons was leaving practice when he was hit by a driver who the attorneys say was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Hawks said last week that Parsons suffered a concussion and whiplash. The team has added “associated disk injury” to his list of injuries.

Parsons remains in the concussion protocol. He was not on the bench for the team’s last two games against San Antonio and Detroit.

Parsons’ attorneys said in a statement released that the other driver “admitted drinking, had alcohol in the car with him” and “passed out” following the crash. The attorneys say the driver, who was not identified, is responsible for “seriously injuring and potentially ending Mr. Parsons’ career as a professional athlete.”

The 31-year-old Parsons, acquired from Memphis last summer, has played just five games for the Hawks. He is averaging 2.8 points and is making more than $25 million in the final year of his contract.

Even though it will be a long road to recovery, A-1 would like to keep Parson in our thoughts and prayers. Our condolences to his family and friends.

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:

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

Before getting behind the wheel after having a few, consider the many reasons why you should not.

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