Fatal Car Wreck in Georgia After Alleged Failure to Maintain Lane

The offense of failure to maintain lane in Georgia is one of the most common DUI related offenses. It most often leads to investigations for DUI in Georgia. It can be something as subtle as touching the center line with the edge of a tire that can ultimately lead to an arrest for DUI. However, it can also be something as serious as drifting into oncoming traffic.

According to reports out of Dawson County, the latter version of failure to maintain lane occurred this past week. Authorities are still investigating the wreck which led to the death of a local man. The man was hit head on when another driver crossed the center line and crashed into his vehicle.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the offense of failure to maintain lane in Georgia.

Failure to Maintain Lane in Georgia

Failure to Maintain Lane in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

When a road has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, a vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.

To put it simply - the law here is unclear as the statute seems to suggest that so long as it is done safely, it is lawful to fail to maintain one's lane.

Nonetheless, failure to maintain lane is one of the most common reasons DUI officers site as a basis for a traffic stop that begins a DUI investigation. Officers will pull someone over for having seen a vehicle touch the fog line, even just one time. 

Practice Note

There are many different offenses that are related to DUI in Georgia. Call us today if you or a loved one has been arrested for any DUI related offense.