19 other states have laws regarding texting while driving.

Article by Stephen Gurr, GainesVilleTimes.com

Almost daily, Gainesville police clock lead foots driving close to 75 mph within the city limits. Every so often, they catch motorists going 85 mph on one of Gainesville’s more speed-prone roads, Thompson Bridge Road or Dawsonville Highway.

On Dawsonville Highway, that’s 40 mph above the speed limit, Sgt. Dean Staples notes.

If legislation backed by Gov. Sonny Perdue passes, it wouldn’t be uncommon for speeders to pay tickets of $500 or more if they get caught going 75 mph on a two-lane road, or 85 mph anywhere in Georgia.

“The more severe accidents that involve fatalities are often related to speeding,” Strickland said.

It is the second time Perdue has tried to increase fines for folks driving excessively fast. The legislation failed to win approval in 2007.

State Rep. Jim Cole, R-Jasper, introduced the bill this year on Perdue’s behalf.

“This is extremely important legislation not only to me, but to the state of Georgia as a whole,” Cole said in a statement. “We must do all we can to help make our roads and highways as safe as possible. The bottom line is this: Super speeder will both directly and indirectly save the lives of Georgians.”

Perdue’s “super speeder” bill would tack on an extra $200 fine for those speeding infractions, with the money going to a state fund for trauma care.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Staples said, noting Georgia had more than 1,600 traffic fatalities in 2007 at a cost in excess of $7 billion. The super speeder law could generate up to $23 million to improve Georgia’s trauma care network, Staples said.

In Gainesville municipal court, fines imposed vary according to the speed and the driver’s history. Municipal Court Solicitor Lee Parks said drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 40 mph can expect a fine of $200 or up, depending on their record. A person with three speeding tickets in the past five years can expect to pay $300 or more, though Judge Hammond Law often takes individual circumstances into account, Parks said. Fines max out at $1,000, which one Gainesville man paid after his 18th speeding ticket in five years.

The worst offenders “can also end up spending a couple of days in jail,” Parks said.

Hall County sheriff’s Col. Jeff Strickland said the most common areas where deputies catch folks going in excess of 75 mph is on Ga. 365 north of Exit 24 and on Ga. 129, both northbound and southbound out of town.

Speeding Ticket in Gainesville Georgia?

The holiday traveling period began at 6 p.m. Thursday and ends at midnight Sunday. Despite higher gasoline prices, which could mean fewer vehicles on the road, the Georgia State Patrol is preparing for a busy holiday weekend.

“The warmer weather and holiday parties tend to increase the number of impaired drivers on our roads,” said Col. Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “If you will be traveling this holiday period, designate a sober driver before the party begins, give your car keys to the host or make other arrangements to get you home, but by all means don’t drive if you have been consuming alcohol.”

Since Tuesday, any person who receives a fourth driving under the influence charge is considered a felon. The old DUI law allowed the courts a five-year window to capture DUI offenses before handing down tougher punishments. Under the new law, courts get a 10-year window to count up a drunken driver’s convictions.

Georgia’s new DUI law also requires first time offenders to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation. If the evaluation deems it necessary, the offender must participate in a court-supervised substance abuse treatment program to decrease the likelihood of recurring offenses.

State troopers will be not only maintaining a presence on the interstates, but also concentrating on the secondary roads where the majority of traffic crashes occur, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

Carmen Scarborough of the LaGrange post of the Georgia State Patrol said it couldn’t tell people if troopers will have sobriety checkpoints, but it will have extra patrol units out during the weekend.

“Roads are already starting to get more crowded and backed up, so we will have double crews patrolling the roadways this weekend” she said.

Lt. Lon Russell of the Russell County Sheriff’s Department said deputies will not have sobriety checkpoints, but they will have increased patrols throughout the area.

“If the state troopers set up checkpoints, we have permission to assist with that, and I would be surprised if they didn’t set up any checkpoints,” he said.

In Georgia and Alabama, a driver is considered DUI with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher.

If a person is caught for DUI, getting arrested is not the only step in the process.

After a person is taken into custody, their car is towed, said Chief Deputy Steve Osteen of the Russell County Sheriff’s Department.

Osteen said if a person refuses to take the Breathalyzer test after thearrest, the person has to spend 24 hours in jail. Even if a person wins the case in court, their license is automatically suspended for refusing to take the test.

“Once a person is booked in, their bond starts out at $1,000,” he said. “It depends on how many offenses the person has had.”

Osteen said a person usually has to hire an attorney because they will have to go to court for a DUI case. Even if it is the person’s first offense, their license is suspended.

“It doesn’t matter what offense it is, your license will be taken away,” he said. “In Alabama the third offense is a felony, and in Georgia the fourth offense is a felony.”

Story By Tess Hollis – Ledger-Enquirer.com

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