Savannah Georgia Traffic Defense Attorney

Georgia Traffic Offenses

Our Savannah GA lawyers handle the following traffic offenses in Georgia:

Speeding Drunk driving - DUI Running red light Fleeing & Eliding Hit and Run Driving on a suspended license

Improper movement No registration No license Agressive Driving Reckless Driving Road Rage

Driving laws in Georgia

 

The main purpose of driving laws in Georgia is to keep the roads safe by prohibiting unsafe driving. Driving is not a right. It is a privilege but if you violate driving laws in Georgia, you can loose your license. Georgia traffic laws are complex. Contact an experienced Georgia traffic attorney with you have been ticketed or charged with a traffic crime.

 

Moving and non-moving violations

 

Moving violations are directly related to driving like speeding, running a red light or failing to yield to a driver who has the right of way. Non-moving violations are other violations like wring parking, no headlights, etc.

 

The Point System

 

The point system was introduced to make the roads safe by keeping the dangerous drives off the road. For every traffic ticket issued to a driver, the driver is assigned certain number of points based on the violations. If the accumulated points exceed a pre-determined limit, the license is suspended. The accumulated points include the points accrued in other states. You face automatic license suspension if you accumulate 15 points in a 24 month period.

The following schedule indicates the points you accumulate for various traffic violations in Georgia:

 

Speeding

• 15-19 MPH over the speed limit: 2 points
• 19-24 MPH over the speed limit: 3 points
• 24-34 MPH over the speed limit: 4 points
• 34 MPH or higher over the speed limit: 6 points

 

Other violations

• Illegally passing a school bus: 6 points
• Aggressive driving: 6 points
• Failure to secure an infant or child: 1 point for the first offense, 2 points for the second offense
• Driving with an open alcoholic container: 2 points
• Failure to secure a load: 2 points
• Failure to follow a traffic signal or command by an officer: 3 points
• Illegal passing: 4 points
• Reckless driving: 4 points

To know more about the points system in Georgia, contact an experienced Georgia traffic attorney.

A driver under 18 will loose his or her license when four points are accumulated. The license of a driver under 21 will be automatically suspended for certain charges including passing a school bus, racing, reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, hit and run, speeding by more than 24 miles above the speed limit, and several other charges or conditions.

 

Get back your suspended license.

 

Many factors including the number of points and any repeat offenses determine the period of suspension of your license. It could be fairly short or really long. If your licensed is suspended, an experienced Georgia traffic attorney can get you permission to drive to and from work.

 

Fleeing & Eluding

 

If a police officer orders you to stop but you don’t, then you will be guilty of fleeing and eluding. Fleeing is a criminal offence. If a police officer orders you to stop, you are required by law to stop. You must stop when the officer driving behind you activates his or her lights and siren.

 

If the road is dark, you can drive to a well light place before stopping. The police car must be clearly marked and the office must display a badge so that you can identify him or her as a police officer. If you are pulled over by an unmarked car, you can call 911 to confirm before stopping.

 

Fleeing and eluding is a criminal offence. Simple fleeing and eluding is a misdemeanor.

 

Fines for fleeing and eluding

 

• First conviction - $300 to $5000
• Second conviction within a five year period - $500 to $5000
• Third conviction within a five year period - $500 to $5000

You will be committing a felony if you drive 10 miles over the speed limit while fleeing. You could face a prison term of one to five years. Even if you are driving well within the speed limit but injure someone or leave the state of Georgia while fleeing, you will be committing a felony.

 

Aggressive driving

 

You will be charged with aggressive driving if you engage in unsafe driving practices including weaving in and out of traffic, driving at an excessive speed, driving too fast for the conditions, or failing to yield to other vehicles that have the right of way. Aggressive driving is a serious offense which attracts heavy fines. Besides heavy fines, you may you may have to pay more for car insurance, or even have your insurance revoked. You will accumulate 6 points on your license if you are convicted for aggressive driving.

 

Driving on a suspended license

 

Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense in most states including Georgia. You may have to spend a few days in jail if you are convicted of driving on a suspended license. When you move to a new state, your old license will be valid for a few days only. You must obtain a new license within those days. Once those days are over, your old license will be invalid. If you continue to drive using your old license, you will be committing a crime. You will not be allowed to get a limited-use permit to drive to and from work or school if you are convicted of driving on a suspended license.

 

Penalties for driving on a suspended license

 

First time conviction can result in a 2 day prison term plus fine of at least $500 plus additional six month suspension of your license over the current suspension. To get back your license, you may have to take a defensive driving test and pay license reinstatement fees.  A second conviction in a five year period can result in ten days in prison plus fines ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 plus more time added to the current suspension. The third conviction in a five year period will result in being labeled a habitual violator and you could loose your license for two years.

 

Driving without a license

 

It is illegal to drive without a license in the state of Georgia - whether it was revoked, suspended or you never got on in the first place.

 

Driving without insurance

 

It is illegal to drive without insurance. You can loose your license for 60 to 90 days.

 

Leaving the scene of an accident

 

If you are involved in an accident and you leave the scene, you may be committing a crime. You have to follow certain procedures. If there are injuries, you must report the accident to the police and wait for the police to complete the formalities. You should also call for an ambulance or the paramedics. If someone dies as a result of an accident, you can face felony hit and run charges if you leave the scene before police arrive, even if you didn’t cause the accident.

If the accident results in property damage, you must make reasonable effort to contact the owner of the property.

 

Vehicular homicide

 

You will be charged with vehicular homicide if you cause an accident that result in the death of another person. The deceased person my have been in your own vehicle or in another vehicle or a pedestrian. A person is charged with vehicular homicide only if the police and the prosecution believe that the person was operating the vehicle illegally or driving in an illegal manner - under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speeding, driving extremely recklessly or a wide variety of other illegal actions. You could face penalties ranging from fines and probation to a year in jail.

 

Feticide

 

Feticide refers to the killing of a fetus or an unborn child. If you cause an accident that result in the death of a viable fetus, you will be charged for vehicular feticide. A fetus is considered viable if it is sufficiently developed to survive outside the womb, even if it must be hospitalized and cared for in a neonatal unit. If a serious traffic violation results in the accident causing the feticide, you will be charged with first degree feticide. If the accident is caused by a less serious traffic violation, you will be charged with second degree feticide.

 

Penalties for feticide

First degree feticide - two to fifteen years in prison.

• Second degree feticide - up to 12 months in prison.

 

Reckless driving

 

Reckless Driving is a criminal misdemeanor that encompasses a variety of potential violations that endangers the lives of others including excessive speeding, veering in and out of traffic or any of a number of other driving violations if your violation is so severe others were put in danger. If convicted, you face a fine up to $1000 and prison term of a year besides accumulating points on your license and loosing your insurance.

 

Road rage

 

Inappropriate gestures or behavior that is aggressive in nature but not illegal in itself is referred to as road rage. Making obscene gestures, tailgating, trying to cut someone off in traffic, excessive horn honking or light flashing or shouting matches are all examples of road rage. Road rage although not illegal in itself can result in moving violations or even arrest.

 

If you or a loved one are accused, suspected, or charged with committing a criminal offense in Georgia, then you should contact an attorney immediately to protect your rights.

 

Our traffic defense attorneys are based in Savannah GA - Georgia. Our lawyers help clients in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Coastal Empire, Hinesville, Tybee Island, Bloomingdale, Isle of Hope, Port Wentworth, Pooler, Garden City, Pembroke, Darien, Brunswick, Statesboro, Valdosta, Waynesboro and Wrightsville, Rincon, Springfield, Lyons Vidalia, Claxton, Metter, Swainsboro, Baxley, and Jesup charged with driving law violations.

 

Our lawyers also handle cases in Chatham County, Bryan County, Glynn County, McIntosh County, Liberty County, Long County, Evans County, Bulloch County, Effingham County and Toombs County, or at military bases like Fort Stewart Army Base and Hunter Army Airfield contact us. We can help you fight your driving law violation case. Call (phone).

 

If you are located in Savannah GA area, then contact us if you have been charged with a vehicle crimeor traffic offense in Georgia.  We can help you fight your driving law violation case. Call (phone).