What Article 276 of the Criminal Code Covers
Article 276 of the Georgian Criminal Code governs violations of the rules of safe operation or movement of transport. It applies when, in driving a car, tram, trolleybus, tractor or other mechanical vehicle, the traffic safety rules are violated and the result is less serious or serious bodily injury, the death of a person, or the death of two or more persons. The first part of the article separately criminalizes driving under the influence of narcotic, psychotropic or new psychoactive substances — even without any resulting harm. In defense practice three questions are decisive: whether a rule was breached, whether a causal link exists between the breach and the consequence, and which part of the article applies — that determines the range of the penalty.