Georgia DUI Stats

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georgia dui stats

It’s a question we get asked a lot. If you’re arrested for a DUI in Georgia… how likely is it that you will be convicted? While each case depends on the specific evidence and situation, the statistics in Georgia show a pretty clear trend. The answer: It’s rare to get a case dismissed, but many people have a good chance of getting a sentence reduced. 

Statistics change from year to year, but let’s take a look at recent data from 2024, reported by the Georgia Department of Driver Services. They report there were 19,497 total convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (That number has gone down significantly in the past ten years, in 2007, there were 41,739 convictions.)

We can estimate from the data that the majority of those were first time DUI cases with no additional charges, such as an underage DUI or child endangerment. We have to estimate the number of arrest that law enforcement in Georgia made in the year 2024. It’s estimated that Georgia law enforcement arrested between 34,000 and 39,000 people for DUI in 2024. 

Of course we know, that DUI arrests and convictions don’t often happen in the same year, but the statistics do tend to vary. But, if we take the lower estimation of arrests, (34,700,) the conviction rate is around 65%. That lines up with national statistics that estimates that between 59% and 65% of DUI arrests result in a conviction. What happened to the other cases?

Around 30% of cases in Georgia are negotiated from DUI charges to reckless driving. There are a smaller percent of cases, between 5-8% of cases in which the charges are completely dropped. 

Most of the time, the reduction or dismissal of charges are accomplished with the help of an experienced DUI lawyer. Someone who understands the system can look at your case and help you find a good defense against the charges. 

If you have been arrested for a DUI in the state of Georgia, you don’t have to fight the battle against these tough statistics alone! Our office can help give you the best chance of a good outcome!