Let’s be honest. No one ever thinks they’ll be the one pulled over, the one sitting on the side of the road with flashing lights behind them, or the one staring down a court date for a DUI. But it happens every day across Georgia, and not just in the places you’d expect. In fact, the counties with the highest risk per person for DUI convictions and suspensions aren’t always the big cities. In 2024, DUIs in Georgia were down dramatically since 2007, but there’s still nearly 20,000 convictions per year.
We went through the data from 2024. All of it. Thousands of DUI suspensions and convictions across every county in the state. What we found might raise a few eyebrows—and for some of you, it might be a wake-up call.
At The Ticket Clinic Georgia, we’ve handled DUI cases in nearly every corner of the state. We’ve seen how things play out differently from county to county. Some places hand down convictions like candy; others, not so much. That’s why understanding where you’re statistically most at risk matters.
Let’s break this down. Click here for the full list.
Georgia Large Metro Counties (Population Over 700,000) DUI Cases
These are the counties most people think of first—Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs. Tons of people. Tons of cars. And yes, a lot of DUI cases. In fact, the handful of counties below make up about 20% of the state’s DUI cases.
- Gwinnett County had 2,327 DUI convictions and suspensions, with nearly a million residents. That works out to about 2.3 convictions per 1,000 people.
- Cobb County clocked in with 1,609 convictions and suspensions. That’s a per capita rate of about 2.04.
- Fulton County, the most populated in Georgia, had nearly 2,000 DUIs—yet its per capita rate is lower than you’d expect: 1.78 per 1,000.
- DeKalb County was even lower at just 1.17 per 1,000.
The takeaway? While these areas see the most DUI cases in raw numbers, your personal odds of conviction are actually much lower here compared to rural counties. That said That’s the benefit of population density—lots of people, which dilutes the per capita rate.
But don’t get too comfortable. These counties still enforce DUI laws aggressively. And the court systems are big, complex, and not always forgiving.
Georgia Mid‑Size Counties (100,000 – 400,000 Population) DUI Cases
This is where the numbers get more revealing. You’ve got areas that are suburban, semi‑rural, and full of working-class communities. And in many of these counties, the per-person risk is noticeably higher.
Let’s talk about Chatham County. Home to Savannah, it had 1,588 DUI convictions and suspensions. That’s a staggering 5.14 per 1,000 residents. Compare that to Fulton’s 1.78, and it’s clear Chatham is in a different league when it comes to DUI convictions.
Douglas County surprised us too—902 DUIs for a county with just over 150,000 people. That’s nearly 6 per 1,000.
Other notable counties:
- Cherokee: 1,051 convictions and suspensions, 3.53 per 1,000
- Forsyth: 964 DUI cases, 3.39 per 1,000
- Bartow: 670 DUI cases, 5.61 per 1,000
- Fayette: 540 DUI cases, 4.28 per 1,000
Some of these places have tighter roads, less access to public transit, and more targeted traffic enforcement. All that adds up to more people getting flagged, tested, and charged.
Georgia Rural Counties (Under 100,000 Population) DUI Cases
This is where things get wild. We’re talking tiny counties, some with fewer than 10,000 people, that have DUI rates up to seven times higher than the state average. Click here for the full list.
Take Taliaferro County. Just over 1,600 people live there. It had 24 DUI cases. That’s 14.9 per 1,000—the highest in the entire state.
| County | DUI Suspensions & Convictions | Population | Per Capita |
| Taliaferro | 24 | 1611 | 0.01489757914 |
| Quitman | 15 | 2322 | 0.00645994832 |
| Webster | 5 | 2337 | 0.002139495079 |
| Baker | 6 | 2645 | 0.002268431002 |
| Clay | 10 | 2853 | 0.003505082369 |
| Glascock | 11 | 3006 | 0.003659347971 |
| Echols | 15 | 3755 | 0.003994673768 |
| Schley | 12 | 4584 | 0.002617801047 |
| Stewart | 14 | 4814 | 0.002908184462 |
| Warren | 43 | 5004 | 0.0085931255 |
| Calhoun | 20 | 5423 | 0.003687995574 |
| Talbot | 30 | 5640 | 0.005319148936 |
| Miller | 28 | 5693 | 0.004918320745 |
| Randolph | 21 | 5982 | 0.003510531595 |
| Treutlen | 59 | 6305 | 0.009357652657 |
| Wheeler | 8 | 6623 | 0.001207911822 |
| Clinch | 14 | 6880 | 0.002034883721 |
| Marion | 8 | 7448 | 0.001074113856 |
| Twiggs | 39 | 7721 | 0.005051159176 |
| Taylor | 26 | 7750 | 0.00335483871 |
| Lincoln | 9 | 7919 | 0.001136507135 |
| Telfair | 28 | 8004 | 0.003498250875 |
| Chattahoochee | 10 | 8491 | 0.001177717583 |
| Atkinson | 18 | 8559 | 0.002103049422 |
Others are right behind:
- Warren County: 8.59 per 1,000
- Turner County: 7.51
- Grady County: 7.70
- Emanuel County: 7.46
- Baldwin County: 7.73
- Franklin County: 6.45
- Crisp County: 6.84
That’s not just high. That’s astonishing. In places like these, you’re up to six to eight times more likely to get cases for DUI than someone in metro Atlanta.
Why?
There are a few reasons:
- Law enforcement intensity – In smaller counties, police presence can feel amplified. Fewer distractions mean more focused DUI enforcement.
- No public transportation – If you’re drinking, you’re probably driving. There aren’t many Uber drivers in towns with one stoplight.
- Court discretion – Smaller courts, fewer cases, and sometimes, tougher judges.
In our experience, rural Georgia is where DUIs go from bad to worse. Convictions happen faster, judges are less forgiving, and options for alternative sentencing are limited.
What You Should Take From This
If you live in or drive through Taliaferro, Warren, or Turner, you’re in some of the highest-risk areas for DUI convictions in the state—statistically speaking. That’s not a scare tactic. That’s raw data. One wrong decision can cost you your license, your freedom, and thousands in legal fees.
Even in the suburbs, the risk is real. Chatham, Douglas, Bartow—they’ve all got higher-than-average conviction rates, and law enforcement knows where to look.
And don’t be fooled by the big city comfort. Yes, your odds might be lower in Fulton or Cobb, but the process is still complex and punishing.
Our Advice? Stay Smart. Know Your Rights. And If You’re Caught—Call Fast.
At The Ticket Clinic Georgia, we’ve defended DUI cases from Savannah to Rome, Atlanta to the tiniest towns you’ve never heard of. Every county handles things differently. That’s why local experience matters.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI—or even just fear you’re at risk—give us a call. We’ll look at the county, the officer, the stop, and the evidence. And we’ll fight tooth and nail to get your case reduced or dismissed.
Georgia doesn’t mess around with DUI laws. But neither do we.
