Page 24 - Georgia Department of Driver Services Drivers Manual
P. 24

SECTION     5  : TRAFFIC LAWS

        Other Laws                        Racing                             Trucks and Vehicles Pulling Trailers
                                            The following behaviors are considered rac-  When traveling upon a roadway outside
                                          ing on highways and streets:       of a business or residential district, drivers of
        Controlled-Access Roadways                                           trucks and vehicles pulling trailers must leave
        •  You are prohibited from entering or leaving   •  When two or more people compete or race   sufficient space between themselves and other
          any controlled-access roadway at unauthor-  on any street or highway;   vehicles of the same kind, so that the driver of
          ized entrances or exits;        •  When one motor vehicle is beside or to the   an overtaking vehicle can enter and occupy
                                            rear of another driver, and one driver tries to   the space without danger. This law prohibits
        •  Certain types of vehicles may be prohibited   prevent      t
                                                  the passing or overtaking of he com-
          on controlled-access roadways if signs are   peting                 the act commonly known as “caravanning.”
                                                  driver by acceleration or maneuver; or
                                                                              Trailers wider than 8 feet, 6 inches are not
          posted to this effect;          •  When one or more persons compete in a  permitted on Georgia’s highways.
                      is prohibited on controlled-

        •  Backing up                       race against time.
               roadways.
          access                                                             Riding in Trailers
        •  An example of a controlled-access roadway                          Riding in a house trailer, or any other ve-
          includes any tolled facility in Georgia such  Aggressive Driving   hicular  drawn  trailer,  is  not  allowed  while
          as the I-85 Express Lanes or the reversible   •  A  person  commits  the  offense  of  it is being moved upon a street or highway.
          I-75                 l            aggres-sive  driving  when  he  or  she  There is a high likelihood of injury or death if
              Express Lanes. Tolled anes in Geor-

          gia require motorists to mount a registered   operates  any motor  vehicle  with  the   passengers are unrestrained in the trailer and
          Peach Pass transponder in their vehicle in   intent   to   annoy,   ha-rass,   molest,   the vehicle is involved in a crash or the trailer
          order                             intimidate,  injure,  or  obstruct  another   becomes disconnected from the vehicle.
                 to access the lanes. Peach Pass can
          also be used in Florida and North Carolina.   person;
          Registered owners of the vehicle that enters                       Median Strip
          the tolled lane without an active Peach Pass   •  Examples of aggressive driving include   It is unlawful to drive across a dividing sec-
                                                  not limited to tailgating, cutting in

          will receive a violation notice in the mail.  but are               other  tion, barrier, or unpaved strip which separates
                                            front of another driver, blocking
                                                                             two roadways at any point other than at an
        •  You are prohibited from entering the revers-  drivers              authorized opening or crossover.
                                                  from passing or changing lanes,
          ible Express Lanes when the access control   etc.
          gates are closed or closing.
                                          •  A  conviction  for  aggressive  driving  is
        Coasting                            considered a misdemeanor of a high and
                                            aggravated  nature;  The  penalty  for
          The driver of any motor vehicle, when trav-  committing  this  violation  may  include
        eling down     a hill, must not coast with the gears   imprisonment, fines, and, if the driver is


        or transmission of the vehicle in neutral.
                                            under  21  years  of  age,  conviction  will
        Driving Under the Influence         result  in  a  suspension  of  all  driving  Impaired Hearing and Vision
                                            privileges.
        of Drugs or Alcohol                                                   It is unlawful to operate a motor vehicle
           •  It is unlawful for any person to operate a Drag Racing/Reckless Stunt Driving  while wearing a headphone, headset, or any
          motor vehicle while under the influence of  ”Reckless Stunt Driving” is operating “any   other device which would impair the driver’s
          alcohol, a drug (prescription or illegal), or vehicle while drag racing, in violation of Code  ability to hear. Also, the driver must not wear

          any other substance which impairs his/her  Section   40-6-186, or laying drags, in violation   anything which would obstruct his or her vi-
          ability to safely do so;        of Code Section 40-6-251, in reckless disregard  sion while driving a motor vehicle. Not only is
                                          for the safety of persons on a highway or upon
                                                                             wearing these devices illegal, it is also unsafe.
           •  A person 21 or more years of age is consid- private property without express



          ered “Under the Influence of Alcohol” when  authorization from the        Obstructing the Driver’s View
                                                           owner of such
          0.08 gm or more by alcohol weight is present     property.”         If a vehicle is overloaded with passengers or
          in the blood;                   Penalties:                         freight so as to obstruct the view of the driver
           •  A person under 21 years of age is irrefutably                  or  interfere  with  the  mechanical  operation,
                                                                             it cannot be legally driven. Passengers must
          considered “Under the Influence of Alcohol”  1st Conviction within 5 years   not ride in a position that interferes with the
          when 0.02 gm or more by alcohol weight is  •12-month suspension    driver’s view or his or her control of the vehicle.
          present in the blood;           •Eligible for early reinstatement at the end of 120
                                          days
          Certain drugs or other substances can also  •Restoration Fee $210/$200 by mail  Opening Vehicle Doors
        make a person irrefutably “under the influ-  •Limited Permit Available   Opening the doors of a vehicle on the side on
                                                                                        is moving is prohibited unless t
        ence.” Having a prescription for certain medi-                       which traffic                    i
        cation   is not a defense if the medication impairs   2nd Conviction within 5 years  is  safe  to  do  so  and  unless  it  can  be  done

        your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.   •3-year suspension  without  interfering  with  the  movement  of
        Penalties for driving under the influence o f   •Eligible for early reinstatement after 18   other  traffic,  including  bicyclists  that  may  be
        intoxicants are severe, with fines up to $1000,   months from the date of conviction  operating close to the lane of parked cars.
        jail sentences up to 12 months, and mandatory   •Restoration Fee $310/$300 by mail
        suspension of your driving privileges.   •Limited Permit Available   One Way Streets
                                                                                                    control device,
                                                                              Unless directed to by a traffic
        Reckless Driving                  3rd and Subsequent Conviction Within 5 years  authorized emergency personnel or construc-
          Reckless driving is defined as driving any  •Habitual Violator (HV) Revocation  tion workers, it is unlawful for a vehicle to be
        vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety  •No Limited Permit Available   driven contrary to the direction posted on a
        of persons or property. Examples of reckless  •May apply for a probationary license per   one-way street or highway, except in situations
        driving include but are not limited to speed-  O.C.G.A. § 40-5-58    where police vehicles or authorized emergency
        ing, weaving in and out of traffic, improperly                       vehicles find it necessary to do so.
        passing, etc. Penalties for reckless driving can
        include a fine of up to $1000, imprisonment for                      Stopping
        up to 12 months, and, if the driver is under 21                       When stopping or slowing down suddenly,
        years of age, conviction will result in a suspen-                    the proper hand, arm, or brake operated stop
        sion of all driving privileges.                                      signal must be given.
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