Wednesday, June 20, 2001
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Wednesday, June 20, 2001 |
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Starting July 1, penalties enacted for aggressive driving, DUI benchmark lowered from .10 to .08 By JOHN
MUNFORD
Beginning July 1, several new traffic laws will go into effect on Georgia's roadways. The blood alcohol content constituting a DUI will be lowered from .10 to .08 and penalties have been created for aggressive drivers in House Bill 385. Aggressive drivers will be penalized six points on their driver's license for "operating any motor vehicle with the intent to annoy, harass, molest, intimidate, injure or obstruct another person." According to the bill, aggressive drivers can be cited with misdemeanors "of a high and aggravated nature" using particular traffic violations including: Following too closely to another vehicle; Driving too slowly to impede traffic; Failing to use a turn signal or otherwise making an improper turn; Reckless driving; Failure to maintain lane; Operating a motorcycle between lanes of traffic. The six-point penalty on the driver's license would count towards the maximum 15 points that can be accrued in a 24-month period before that person's license is suspended. House Bill 385 also adds penalties for repeat DUI offenders and prohibits open containers of alcohol in the passenger areas of motor vehicles. The lowering of the blood alcohol limit to .08 was largely due to a requirement from Federal transportation officials who could have withheld highway funding if the change wasn't made. Also, Georgia motorists will be required to use either a child safety seat or a booster seat for all passengers ages 4 or younger thanks to House Bill 248. The bill specifically requires the use of "a child passenger restraining system approved by the United States Department of Transportation." "All children under four years old and under 80 pounds should be placed in a convertible seat or booster seat," said Yvonne L. McBride, director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. "This will prevent internal injuries or ejection from the vehicle as a result of seat belts that do not properly restrain small children." An exemption in the law, however, allows a child's parent or guardian to obtain a written statement from a physician indicating a medical or physical condition that prevents a child from being placed in the required child passenger restraining system.
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