Tiger Woods' Crash Makes Headlines

Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters

Atlanta, Ga. – As an Atlanta DUI Lawyer, I regularly check the news for any national headlines regarding DUI. DUI laws are different all over the country, and I've stated many times that DUI in Atlanta is one of the harshest DUI laws in the US.

Recently, Tiger Woods made headlines as he was involved in a very serious car accident. It was a single-car rollover in Los Angeles. Of course, because he is a celebrity athlete many made observations that he may have been under the influence. However, according to the news, this has now been thrown out.

In today's post, I will focus on how DUI charges and accidents correspond and connect.

DUI and Accidents in Georgia

If a driver is involved in a car accident, the accident itself can be used to support a DUI charge by showing that the driver was less safe to drive depending on the circumstances of the accident. A car accident may also frustrate a favorable negotiation with the prosecution. 

DUI penalties are likely to be more severe when a car accident is involved even when no person or property was injured or damaged. Also the accident itself can be used as an indication of less safe driving, which is an element of the DUI offense itself.

If an officer sees a driver in distress, the officer has legal cause to approach the vehicle and investigate and offer assistance.  The officer's primary duty is to aid all distressed drivers.  However while aiding those drivers, the officer can also investigate the cause of the accident and a possible DUI offense.  Also, the officer can charge the driver with anything he sees in plain view, such as drugs and marijuana found in the car.

Moreover, car accidents can lead to additional charges being filed against a driver.  These charges can include but are not limited to:

• Striking a Fixed Object
• Hit and Run
• Following Too Closely
• Failure to Maintain Lane

Practice Note

Call our offices now if you or a loved one has been arrested for driving under the influence. We can help you with your case now.