Officers Plan to "Crack Down" on Speeders During Georgia Operation Southern Shield Next Week

According to recent reports, police officers are "cracking down" on speeders in Georgia next week from July 16th to July 22nd as a part of their second annual Operation Southern Shield. Colonel Mark W. McDonough, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, stated: 

“Our troopers are dedicated to participating in collaborative enforcement efforts like Operation Southern Shield, that encourages motorists to drive safely and slow down. Our main focus this week is reducing crashes and providing a safer transportation experience for motorists traveling in our state.”

The latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report showed that speeding killed over 10,000 people in 2016. When numbers like this come in, law enforcement steps up their game. In fact, speeding in Georgia is one of the most frequently charged traffic offenses. 

O.C.G.A. §40-6-180 and O.C.G.A §40-6-391 define what the offense of speeding is in Georgia. In terms of a driving record, the Georgia Department of Driver Services, otherwise known by the acronym, DDS, maintains these records. The delineations for Georgia driver's license points are as follows:

• Less than 15 over the limit, a conviction for speeding is not reported to DDS
• 15-18 miles over the limit is 2 points
• 19-23 miles over the limit is 3 points
• 24-33 miles over the limit is 4 points
• 34 or more miles over the limit is 6 points

For drivers over 21 years old, a total of 15 points or more over a 24 month period will lead to a license suspension for 6 months.  For drivers under 21 years old, merely a 4 point offense will lead to a license suspension. For drivers under 18 years old, a total 4 points, combined from any series of events, this will lead to a suspended license. A Georgia license suspension is overwhelming and can cause a lot of disturbances in someone's life.

Our state also has the Georgia Super Speeder Law. In addition to the fine for the speeding ticket, an accused driver will also receive a fine and a separate ticket that he or she will have to pay to the state of Georgia.  The Super Speeder Law applies when you travel over 75 miles per hour on a two lane road or over 85 miles per hours on all other roads. If the additional fine is not paid, then your license will be suspended.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been charged with speeding in Georgia, contact a Georgia Traffic Ticket Lawyer today. Although we focus on Georgia DUI Defense, the majority of the time, those DUI charges are accompanied by traffic violations such as speeding, so we are well-versed and experienced in successfully defending speeding tickets.

Some of the defenses we use include:

• A police officer cannot use radar or laser equipment to detect your speed within 300 feet of a reduction of the speed limit in an incorporated municipality.
• A police officer cannot use radar or laser equipment to detect your speed within 600 feet of a reduction of a speed limit in an unincorporated area or if the grade of the highway is more than 7 percent.
• A police officer cannot use radar or laser readings as evidence against you if the speed limit was reduced within 30 days of your offense.

These are just a few of the defenses we utilize. There are more, and we are also successful with negotiation tactics when it comes to negotiating a speeding ticket down to a lesser speed in order to reduce the penalty associated with the ticket. As I mentioned above, if you or a loved one has been charged with speeding in Georgia, contact a Georgia Traffic Ticket Attorney today.