There are many Criminal traffic offenses in Georgia that are far more serious than a simple ticket. You could be facing jail time for dangerous or negligent driving offenses. At a minimum, you are up against license suspension and a permanent criminal record. When you need help with your case it is vital you have professionals with experience on your side. Contact us today to talk about your case.
Georgia traffic charges we defend include:
- DUI
- Driving on a Suspended License
- Hit and Run
- Reckless Driving
- Attempting to Elude Police
- and more
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is defined by Georgia law as driving in reckless disregard of property or other people. That is a fairly vague standard, which means you can be accused of reckless driving based on a loose opinion of the police officer who pulls you over.
The Georgia statutes do not specify how fast or what circumstances demonstrate “reckless regard”. This would be up to the discretion of the officer at the time of your arrest or citation, and up to the judge at trial.
While the subjective standard means you can easily be accused of driving recklessly, that also leaves room to argue in court that the officer was mistaken or slightly overzealous with the charge.
Georgia Reckless Driving Penalties
If convicted of reckless driving, a misdemeanor, you are facing a fine of up to $1,000 and jail time of up to one year.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving is defined as driving with the intent to annoy, harass, intimidate, molest, injure, or obstruct another person. These are similar to road rage laws.
Georgia Aggressive Driving Penalties
Aggressive driving is considered a misdemeanor of “high and aggravated nature”, and if convicted, you would be facing fines up to $5,000 and jail time of up to one year.
Fleeing or Attempting to Elude an Officer
It is against the law to not stop for a police officer after they have given you a visual or audible signal to pull over. They could turn on their lights, sirens, or simply wave you to the side of the road.
If you fail to stop or in any other way, attempt to flee or elude an officer while driving, you could be found guilty of a high and aggravated misdemeanor.
Potential Sentences for Fleeing/Attempting to Elude
If this is your first charge of fleeing or attempting to elude, you are facing fines of $500 to $5,000 and jail time no less that 10 days and no more than 12 months.
If this is a second charge, you will face potential fines of $1,000 to $5,000 and jail time of at least 30 days and no more than 12 months.
For your third and any subsequent charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, you may end up paying fines from $2,500 to $5,000 and jail time of at least 90 days and no more than 1 year.
Serious Injury by Vehicle
Serious Injury by Vehicle is a criminal statute under Georgia driving laws for a case where a person is injured as a result of negligence.
If you, without malice, and while operating a vehicle, injure someone to the extent that they lose use of a portion of their body, lose a member of their body, are seriously disfigured, or have brain damage that causes the loss of use of one of their member, you may be charged with and found guilty of serious injury by vehicle.
Potential Sentences – Serious Injury by Vehicle
Serious injury by vehicle is a felony and if convicted you are facing imprisonment of at least one year and no more than 15 years.
Homicide by Vehicle
Georgia First Degree Homicide By Vehicle – Penalties
If you, without malice caused the death of another person while operating your vehicle while:
- Overtaking a school bus stopped to allow the boarding and unloading of children,
- Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run),
- Reckless driving,
- DUI, or
- Fleeing from the police
You will be charged with first-degree homicide by vehicle and will face felony charges and a potential sentence of 3-15 years.
Second Degree
If you, without intending to do so, cause the death of another person while in operation of your vehicle, and the above (first degree) situations don’t apply, you will be charged with misdemeanor second-degree homicide by vehicle and face fines up to $1,000 and prison time up to one year.