---
title: "Reckless Driving Defense"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/reckless-driving-defense-179-en"
field: "Criminal Law"
description: "Article 276 Criminal Code of Georgia — traffic safety violations: fine up to 12 years. Defense lawyer — Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-07-09"
updated: "2026-10-14"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Reckless Driving Defense

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/reckless-driving-defense-179-en

## What the Traffic Safety Article Covers

Article 276 of the Criminal Code of Georgia covers the violation of the rules of traffic safety or operation of transport — acts connected with driving an automobile, tram, trolleybus, tractor or other mechanical transport vehicle. The article is built as a ladder of penalties: the tier rises with the consequence — from less grave damage to health, to grave damage, then to the death of one person and of two or more persons — and at each tier a separate price is set for an act committed sober and an act committed under intoxication.

Cases under this article are among the most numerous in criminal justice, and the accused’s fate almost always depends on the technical work of the investigation: the mechanics of the collision, the degree of injury and the fact of intoxication are established by special expert examinations.

The full text is available on legal.ge after signing in: https://legal.ge/en/service/crim-criminal-law-en/reckless-driving-defense-179-en

### What is the penalty for violating traffic safety rules?

With less grave damage to health — a fine, house arrest from six months to two years, or imprisonment of up to three years; under intoxication — from two to five years. With grave damage — from three to five years; under intoxication — from four to six years. With one death — from four to seven years; under intoxication — from six to nine. With two or more deaths — from six to ten years; under intoxication — from eight to twelve years.

### Is driving under the influence of narcotics punished separately?

Yes — by a fine, house arrest from six months to two years, community service of two hundred to four hundred hours, or imprisonment of up to three years, even without any consequence.

### How is intoxication established?

By clinical and laboratory conclusions; where the laboratory examination is refused — only by a clinical conclusion. Clinical signs are evaluative and remain open to challenge by the defense.

### What does the defense check first?

The auto-technical expert examination (whether the driver could have avoided the collision), the medical assessment of the degree of injury, the road environment, and the legality of establishing intoxication.

### When should I hire a lawyer?

Within the first days after the incident — under this article expert examinations decide the case, and their assignment can still be influenced.