Alcohol Offences & Drink Driving Penalties
In the drinking culture of today, it can be alarming to think that you could be
charged with a drink driving offence without actually driving a vehicle.
We can help you with any drink driving offence.
But first let us help you understand exactly what the main offences are.
Drink driving offences are split into four main sections, each of which is
explained here.
This is when you have been driving or attempting to drive after consuming an
amount of alcohol over the approved amount. In other words, you are
driving whilst over the drink drive limit.
You cannot be convicted of this unless it has been proven that you are over the
limit after taking a breath, urine or blood test from the police station.
The readings must be taken from a Government approved device such as a
breathalyser. A roadside testing device is not an approved device.
Road testing devices are simply used to help police officers decide whether or
not you are drink driving and should be taken to the police station to do an
official test.
What are the punishments?
You could face a maximum six months imprisonment, a £5,000 fine and a driving
ban.
This is when you refuse to provide a
specimen of blood, breath or urine to the police.
What are the punishments?
Refusing a test at the police station could get you 6 months imprisonment and
a £5,000 fine as well as a lengthy driving ban. Evidence of high levels of
intoxication and lack of co-operation at the police station can now greatly
increase your sentence. Moreover, if the courts believe you failed to provide
a specimen because you knew you were trying to drive with excess alcohol in
your body, your punishment could be more severe. The punishment for failing to
provide a specimen, as you can see, can be far worse than that for drink
driving because the Courts do not know how intoxicated you are.
This is when you are in or around your vehicle whilst over the limit, with the intention of
taking the vehicle for a drive. This may sound like an easy offence to commit but
you should only be prosecuted if you were
intending to drive the vehicle.
What are the punishments?
You could be facing 10 penalty points on your licence or a driving ban, three
months imprisonment and a £2,500 fine.
This is relatively the same as being caught in charge of your car with excess alcohol in your body.
The difference between the two is that, to be charged with the excess alcohol offence,
a specimen declaring you over the drink drive limit is required. If they do not have a
specimen, for whatever reason, they can simply charge you with driving while unfit
under the influence of drink or drugs and the prosecution would centre around a
doctor's or police officer's opinion of your suitability to drive.
What are the punishments?
You could face a driving disqualification, six months imprisonment and a £5,000
fine.
Following a guilty plea or conviction the Court has the discretion to offer the
drink driving rehabilitation course. If the court feels that you are someone
suitable to attend upon the course a reduction in disqualification can be
offered of up to 25%.
As you can see there are many different levels of punishment for alcohol related
motoring offences, as well as many different types of alcohol or drug offences
that you can be prosecuted for.
If you have been or are to be charged with any of the driving offences here
contact us now so your Driving Defence can start
today!