It was only a few weeks ago that the National Transportation Safety Board proposed lowering the current DUI limit from 0.08% to 0.05%, yet the potential change has already elicited more than a stir among Georgians statewide. Currently, mixed reactions surround the potential call for a reduced DUI limit, including both supporters and critics.
While Georgia's chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hasn't opposed the idea, executive director, B. Martin, issued a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggesting that this type of new law would not be politically feasible. Instead, the executive believes the focus should be on initiatives that enforce auto-installed devices that would test the blood alcohol level of DUI convicts. Martin continued to express that MADD is "not prohibitionist," and that the party is "not interested in eliminating drinking."
The leaders of the Georgia Restaurant Association seem to be of the same mindset, stating that the most surefire way to protect public safety is through the strict enforcement of existing DUI laws; not a reduction in current limits. In fact, many among this group believe that efforts of this nature should be directed more toward repeat offenders, rather than toward the many adults who choose to responsibly enjoy an alcoholic beverage with a meal.
Officials of the National Transportation Safety Board believe that a reduction in the DUI limit could prevent up to 10,000 DUI-related deaths each year. While the lowering of the DUI limit in Georgia did result in fewer deaths in 2000, lawmakers do not know for certain what the effects of an even lower limit would be.
K. Bremer, the executive director of the Georgia Restaurant Association has suggested that lowering the limit would do nothing more than punish adults who are accustomed to drinking responsibly. Bremer has reportedly stated that the group is "supportive of penalizing chronic alcohol abusers," but they also feel strongly about an adult having the ability to responsibly enjoy a drink or two.
From state patrol officers who feel that a lower DUI limit would make a difference, to local restaurant owners who feel that a lower DUI limit would do more harm than good, the reviews for the proposed law are in, and they are mixed. Nothing has been determined as of yet in terms of whether or not the idea of a lower limit will actually be put into effect. Until a decision is made, you can expect the state's DUI laws to remain in tangent with the current 0.08% that is imposed on drivers throughout Georgia.
If you've been arrested and/or charged with a DUI in the state of Georgia, you should not wait to take legal action. The sooner you align yourself with an Atlanta DUI attorney from The Law Offices of Howard J. Weintraub, the better will be your chances of avoiding a conviction. Therefore, we urge you to contact the firm as soon as possible.