Georgia has unique driving laws. Here are 5 traffic rules to know to avoid tickets
Some of them are obvious, while others are less so. Here's a look at 5 you may not know about:
If you want to listen to music on your drive, either use the car speakers or just play it aloud on your phone's speakers. Georgia Code § 40-6-250 says no driver will wear a headset or headphones unless it's for communication purposes.
Rechtman & Spevak attorneys say on their website that a violation will mean a $50 fine and one point on your license for a first offense, $100 and two points for a second offense, and $150 fine plus three points for third and subsequent offenses.
Lawsuit: Georgia mother sues Uber in connection to 14-year-old daughter's rape case. What we know
Laws against drinking and driving don't just apply to conventional vehicles like cars, trucks, and vans. Under state law, bicycles are also considered a vehicle and, as such, you can get a DUI for riding a bicycle while under the influence.
Georgia Code § 40-6-391 says first and second convictions result in misdemeanors, a third conviction is a "high and aggravated misdemeanor," and a fourth and subsequent convictions can be considered felonies. These all have various penalties.
While there are differing opinions about the safety (or lack thereof) in driving barefoot, there is no law that expressly prohibits it, according to multiple Georgia law firms.
If you choose to do so, Hasner Law recommends keeping your shoes away from the driver's side so they don't get caught under the pedals and to be mindful of your driving habits. The law firm goes on to say you could still get into trouble for not wearing shoes if you're in an accident.
While speeding is obviously dangerous, it's also a bad idea to drive too slow. Georgia Code § 40-6-184 says drivers are not allowed to travel at such slow speeds they are impeding the normal flow of traffic unless it's necessary for safety reasons.
Kohn & Yager Attorneys say on their website that a violation of the "Slow Poke" law can lead to a fine of up to $1,000, three points on your license, increased car insurance premiums, and a potential license suspension.
Digital license: Why Georgia lawmakers agree that you could soon use your phone as your driver's license
Most people know it's illegal to be on your phone while driving, but will try to answer texts at a red light. Don't! Georgia Code § 40-6-241 prohibits a driver from ever holding their phone or even keeping it propped on their knee. It also specifically prohibits writing or reading messages as well as watching movies/videos. Exceptions include when the car is parked and when reporting an incident.
Each violation of this article constitutes a separate offense. Violators will be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined up to $50 for the first conviction, up to $100 for the second, and up to $150 for third and subsequent convictions.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: 5 unusual Georgia traffic laws, policies you should know to avoid tickets
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Anna Sorokin says she received hundreds of death threats over bunnies abandoned in Brooklyn park
Anna "Delvey" Sorokin says she's received hundreds of death threats in the days since was was accused of dumping pet rabbits she posed with for a photoshoot in a Brooklyn park. The fake German heiress who stole tens of thousands of dollars from banks posed alongside three bunnies on the streets of Manhattan's posh Tribeca neighborhood last week. The bunnies were recognized and discovered in Brooklyn's Prospect Park days later, prompting fierce online backlash. But the headline-making New York City socialite — who vehemently denied responsibility for the discarded bunnies — said in an interview with NBC News that she's particularly shocked by the strong reaction over the incident. 'It just seems to me like everything I do is just wrong," Sorokin, 34, said in a phone call with NBC News. "I can never do right by these people.' Sorokin shared screenshots of dozens of hateful messages she's received within the last few days to her Instagram — which she called "unusable" — with NBC News. Some of them suggest that she she should be killed or take her own life, including one that advises Sorokin to get someone to "make a carpet out of your skin." 'It seems like a lot of these people, just because they're engaged in animal rescue, they feel like they're entitled to insult you or talk to you or say anything because they're hiding behind this thing that they're doing,' she said. The 34-year-old, whose life was depicted in Netflix's hit 2022 series "Inventing Anna," took the photoshoot with the bunnies on August 3 to create content for her Instagram account, which has more than 1.1 million followers. Shortly before the shoot, she posted on Instagram story asking if any of her followers in the New York City metropolitan area had a pet rabbit she could borrow for the shoot, Sorokin said. Christian Batty, a 19-year-old hair stylist Sorokin met briefly last year, reached out to her and offered what he described as a friend's rabbits, she said. Sorokin added that she paid Batty to provide the rabbits and for his Uber to return the rabbits to their owner in Yonkers — or so she thought. A screenshot of the Uber receipt Sorokin shared with NBC News show the ride's drop off location was just south of Prospect Park, where the rabbits were later spotted. Days later, she said she started receiving messages on social media about the rabbits being spotted in Prospect Park. A Facebook user posted images of the domesticated bunnies in the park to a public Facebook group dedicated to rabbits, House Rabbit Society, and other users connected them to Sorokin's photos. Sorokin initially thought the posts were fake, but the flood of messages did not stop. At first, Batty denied dumping the rabbits in the park, according to screenshots of text messages between Sorokin, Batty and photographer Jasper Soloff that Sorokin posted on her Instagram story and shared with NBC News. "Jasper had no knowledge or input as to how the bunnies were obtained or what happened to them after the photo shoot," Soloff's attorney, Gary Adelman, said in a statement. Batty did not immediately return a request for comment. Hours later, Batty confessed that he did dump the rabbits and absolved Sorokin of any involvement, according to a statement he posted to his Instagram account, which has since been taken down. "When I realized the rabbits were being surrendered to me, I panicked," Batty said in the statement, screenshots of which were provided by Sorokin. "At 19, with no experience caring for animals, no pet-friendly housing, and no knowledge of available resources, I felt overwhelmed and made the worst possible choice." "Believing, mistakenly, that there were existing rabbits in that area, I released them there, thinking that was my best option," he added. Sorokin pushed back on the notion that Batty's age was an issue. "He's old enough to move to New York and live on his own, he should have enough common sense to handle rabbits," Sorokin said. "We're not like asking him to do anything that requires high IQ from him. I just don't know what to say." Sorokin said that she was concerned about how the incident might affect her pending immigration case. Sorokin was convicted by a Manhattan jury in April 2019 on four counts of theft services, three counts of grand larceny and one count of attempted grand larceny after being accused of defrauding banks and friends of tens of thousands of dollars. Prosecutors said that Sorokin convinced friends and businesses to loan her money to afford a lavish lifestyle under the guise that she was the daughter of a oil baron or diplomat, worth tens of millions of dollars. In 2021, Sorokin was released on parole while she fights deportation. She has been forced to wear an electronic ankle monitor and cannot leave a 75-mile house arrest radius based in New York. "This time, I've done nothing wrong," she said. "And I had the best intentions and it's really frustrating." The New York Times reported that the rabbits were rescued by blogger Terry Chao, who spotted the rabbits in the park. Chao could not immediately be reached for comment. Sorokin said she donated $1,000 to the group All About Rabbits Rescue in the aftermath of the scandal. She also denied harming the rabbits by putting them in leashes, as some have suggested online. "I don't know, I'm not a bunny professional. I didn't know the leashes were such a big deal," she said. "We would put them down for, I don't know, a minute or two, take a picture and pick them up. We were not walking them by any means. And they seemed to be happy."
Hypebeast
4 hours ago
- Hypebeast
Calling an Uber? The Virgil Abloh Maybach Is Now an Option
Summary Update:Not all Chicago Uber users are reporting seeing the Virgil Abloh Maybach as a bookable fare on their Uber apps, leaving the validity of the rideshare component unclear. Don C is, however, renting out his Maybach for rides in Chicago. Original Story:There are only 150 'Virgil AblohMaybachs' in the world, the storied two-tone sedan that Abloh designed alongside Mercedes' Gorden Wagener as part of Project MAYBACH. Now, the long-sought-after, limited-edition Mercedes-Maybach S-Class S 680 can be yours – for just an hour or so, that is – asDon Chas listed his personal Virgil Abloh Maybach on Uber as a fully bookable offering. With a price set at $500 USD an hour, Chicago Uber riders can book Don C's car on the app now. The listing's description indicates that only two riders can sit in the Virgil Abloh Maybach, with each ride accompanied by a professional driver. The Virgil Abloh Maybach was officially released to its select upper echelon clientele back in 2022, defined by its two-toned body, custom wheels, and sleek Abloh x Maybach co-branded hits throughout both the car's interior and exterior.
CBS News
7 hours ago
- CBS News
Uber drivers help end scam targeting hundreds of grandparents, U.S. Attorney says
Federal investigators charged 13 people in connection with what they describe as a "cruel and malicious" grandparent scheme that resulted in hundreds of elderly people losing millions of dollars. U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said the investigation got underway when Uber, whose drivers appeared to have been unknowing participants, flagged the scam to the FBI. Foley announced the charges during a news briefing Tuesday at Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Two people remain at large in the Dominican Republic, where the scam was allegedly based, and two are at large in the United States, Foley said. The U.S. Attorney said organized call centers in the Dominican Republic were used to target elderly victims, many in Massachusetts. "Their goal was to trick our grandparents, parents, neighbors and friends into handing over their life savings under false pretenses. And they succeeded in stealing millions," Foley said. Foley said people would receive a call from someone pretending to be their grandchild. The call center would use an "opener," saying things like, "I've been in an accident," or "I need money to post bail." Then a "closer" would get on the line and pretend to be a lawyer demanding cash. Once the person on the other line was convinced, they were directed to hand over thousands of dollars in cash to "runners," often using Uber drivers who Foley said did not know they were part of a scam. The suspects would call an Uber driver and use an excuse, saying something like their grandmother is putting documents in a car and transporting them. Other times, they'd have the Uber pick up the elderly person and bring them to the bank. The money would be brought to someone else, who allegedly laundered it to the suspects. There were about 400 victims, 50 from the United States. Foley said she believes there were other victims who never reported crimes because they were too ashamed of what happened to them. The Uber Global Security team flagged the scam to the FBI. Foley said Uber has since made changes to how it trains its drivers so they can help prevent similar incidents. "I'm here to say that we have had enough of this. Preying on our elderly and the alleged conduct by these depraved individuals is ruthless and immoral," Foley said. According to Foley, victims will most likely not get their money back. The Justice Department website has resources for how to prevent similar scams in the future.
