Driving while sleep deprived?

In Decatur, DeKalb County officers charge drivers with DUI everyday.  Sometimes the driver submits to a breath or blood test, however, often the driver refuses or the test is improperly conducted and the results invalidated.  In these cases, the DUI prosecuting attorney on behalf of DeKalb County must prove that the driver was an unsafe driver due to intoxication.  This is a tough burden for the prosecutor to meet.  Typically, their evidence comes from the officers observations of the driver and the drivers performance on roadside sobriety tests. 

Sleep deprivation can impact how someone drives a vehicle and performs on such tests. For example, the officer may observe that the driver has red eyes and they believe this is indicative of being under the influence.  It can also be a sign of being tired!  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that

approximately 100,000 automobile crashes annually involve drowsiness as a main cause. In addition, sleep deprivation leads to lack of driver attention and causes traffic offenses such as failure to maintain lane and the majority of auto accidents in Georgia. 

If you performed poorly on field sobriety tests and are charged with a DUI, it could be that you were just tired and are NOT guilty of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  Call Decatur DUI lawyer Richard Lawson for a free case evaluation today.