States are allowed to set their own DUI laws. These often end up being very similar in many regards, such as saying that drivers cannot be over 0.08 when it comes to Blood Alcohol Concentration. However, other parts of the law will vary widely, especially when looking at the legal penalties and punishments that are given out.
For instance, license suspensions are used in many states, and this can happen before you go to your trial. However, seven out of 50 states don’t actually have these administrative suspensions at all. This is not to say that a suspension won’t occur after a conviction, but just that it won’t happen automatically after an arrest.
In Georgia, drivers will face some of the most strict penalties in this regard, as the administrative suspension could be as long as 12 months.
On the whole, Georgia comes in tied for ninth in having the strictest DUI laws. It is tied with Washington and Delaware. Arizona ranks first overall, with the very strictest laws in the nation. South Dakota ranks 51st, with the most lenient laws.
For those doing the quick math and thinking things don’t add up, it gets its 51st ranking because the District of Columbia is counted as its own entity in these rankings. It ranks just above South Dakota, at 50th.
While Georgia ranks ninth overall and also comes in at ninth for criminal penalties, it is actually in the middle of the pack when looking at its prevention rank, coming in 21st.
If you’ve been arrested for a suspected DUI, be sure you know how Georgia’s legal system works.
Source: WalletHub, “Strictest And Most Lenient States On DUI,” Alina Comoreanu, accessed June 19, 2015