Woman Charged with Fatal Accident on Georgia I-75

An alleged drunk driver's parked vehicle on I-75 led to a chain reaction of vehicular accidents on Sunday night. One person has been reported as dying from the accident and two others are seriously injured. 

The stopped driver was an elderly woman who was allegedly parked in the far right lane on the interstate. According to reports, a tractor trailer came up behind her and swerved left to avoid her and hit another car. That then caused the tractor trailer to swerve back right and hit another vehicle. 

The driver of the parked car is facing the following charges:

• DUI in Georgia
• Vehicular Homicide in Georgia
• Improper Stopping on Roadway in Georgia

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I have written numerous posts on both DUI and Vehicular Homicide in our state, so in today's post, I will focus on the traffic violation of improperly stopping on a roadway. 

Illegal Stopping on Roadway in Georgia

Illegal Stopping on Georgia Roadways is not a very common offense. However, it is usually seen hand in hand with DUI in Georgia. As with most other traffic violations, Georgia Law lists out where it is illegal to stop, stand, or park your vehicle in O.C.G.A. §40-6-203.

• On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge of a curb of a street
• On a sidewalk
• Within an intersection
• On a crosswalk
• Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by signs or markings
• Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing, or parking would obstruct traffic
• Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel
• On any railroad tracks
• On any controlled-access highway
• In the area between roadways of a divided highway, including crossovers
• At any place where official signs prohibit stopping

This list is not exclusive, and there are several exceptions. These exceptions include stopping, parking, or standing your vehicle when it is necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or when it's in compliance with the law or when it is directions given by a police officer or official traffic control device. 

Practice Note

This charge along with several others are typically the basis of a DUI investigation and subsequent arrest in Georgia. Serious traffic violations can usually lead officers to believing that an individual is a less safe driver, and that there is a high possibility of impairment. 

The story I covered above is tragic and definitely a worst case scenario. However, these situations happen more frequently than anyone would like. If you or a loved one has been arrested for DUI, contact a Georgia DUI Attorney today.