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DUI: Blood Alcohol Concentration

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This blog article serves to discuss how Georgia law handles varying Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels, from 0.00% to 0.08% and beyond.

BAC of 0.05% or Less

If a chemical test of your blood or breath falls within this range, then the law[1]provides the defense with a presumption of non-impairment. This means the trier of fact (judge or jury) is entitled to infer that the defendant is not impaired based on this low alcohol concentration. This presumption of non-impairment, may however, be rebutted by the prosecution. Typically, this is done through presenting evidence of “bad driving” (accident, traffic violation, etc.), or through other manifestations associated with alcohol impairment. If your blood alcohol comes back in an amount this low, a skilled DUI lawyer should be able to get the charge dismissed or reduced.

BAC Greater than 0.05%  but Less than 0.08%

In this situation, the law provides no inference the person was or was not under the influence of alcohol. This BAC range is treated as neutral territory, it doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t help either. Again, this evidence is to be taken into consideration with other competent evidence determining impairment.

BAC Greater 0.08% or More

A BAC of 0.08 grams or greater amounts to a per se violation of the DUI statute. This means the law automatically deems you impaired, regardless of alcohol tolerance. For this reason, it is imperative defense counsel do anything possible to eliminate this BAC number from being introduced at trial. And if the BAC is admitted at trial, the defense lawyer is tasked with casting doubt on the validity of the BAC result. This can be accomplished through effective cross-examination, employment of an expert witness, and a thorough investigation of the case.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving under the influence, contact the law firm of W. Scott Smith at 404.581.0999 today for a free case evaluation. You’ll find a local Atlanta DUI attorney ready to aggressively fight on your behalf. You can also find out more detailed information about Atlanta laws here.

[1] O.C.G.A. § 40-6-392(b)(1)

Georgia Underage DUI

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O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391(k) prohibits a person under the age of 21 to have a BAC of, “0.02 grams or more at any time within three hours after” driving a vehicle, from alcohol consumed prior to driving. This 0.02 BAC limit is substantially lower than the 0.08 limit provided for those aged 21 and over. Underage persons convicted under this code section are subject to the same penalties as adults, except in regards to periods of imprisonment and license suspensions.

Underage DUI Sentencing

Under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-3.1, if a judge orders an underage person to serve a prison sentence in conjunction with a first DUI conviction, the sentencing judge has the authority and discretion to “allow the sentence to be served on weekends by weekend confinement or during the nonworking hours of the defendant.” In addition, if this is the underage defendant’s first DUI, the defendant “shall be kept segregated from all other offenders” other than similar underage DUI offenders.

License Suspension

Regarding license suspension, upon a first conviction, drivers under 21 will have their license suspended for either six months or twelve months, depending on the BAC measurement. If the BAC is less than 0.08 grams, the period of suspension is for six months. Otherwise, the period of suspension is for twelve months. Importantly, the driver is ineligible for a driving permit and no early reinstatement is available. A new driver’s license will not be issued without proof of completion of the risk reduction program and payment equivalent to the driver’s license restoration fee for a suspended license ($200 or $210).  Finally, the driver shall, as an additional prerequisite for license reinstatement, be required to successfully complete the examination requirements of O.C.G.A. § 40-5-27 (driver’s license exam).

If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving under the influence, contact the law firm of W. Scott Smith at 404.581.0999 today for a free case evaluation. You’ll find a local Atlanta DUI attorney ready to aggressively fight on your behalf. You can also find out more detailed information about Atlanta laws here.

by Casey Cleaver