UPDATE: Ga. troopers targeting drunken drivers

By Todd DeFeo / (c) 2010

ATLANTA – Georgia state troopers are cracking down on drunken drivers statewide as part of a month-long campaign.

“Troopers will be keeping a close watch for suspected impaired drivers on every patrol,” Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said in a news release. “Impaired driving is a danger 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

As part of “Drunk and Drugged Driver Awareness Month,” troopers will be conducting road checks statewide aimed at stopping drunken drivers before they cause wrecks. Nationwide, 873 people died in wrecks in December 2009 involving drunken drivers, and roughly three out of every 10 crashes in Georgia involved an “impaired driver,” according to state authorities.

“Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state,” Hitchens said, noting that a DUI charge is only part of the problems motorists should expect to face if arrested.

“Violators often face jail time, higher insurance rates, and other unanticipated expenses, such as your attorney’s fees, court costs, towing expenses, and lost time,” he added.