Drink And Drug Driving

Based in our offices in Coventry city centre, we have a team of expert Drink and Drug Driving Solicitors with considerable experience in successfully representing people accused of drink and drug driving-related offences. Our solicitors regularly defend people charged with a whole range of offences such as driving with excess alcohol, being drunk in charge of a vehicle, failing to provide a specimen, and driving whilst unfit.

Our specialist Motoring Offence Solicitors have an in-depth understanding of the defences available for drink and drug driving and will immediately step in to protect your best interests and build a robust defence. We know how upset and worried you will be feeling, especially if you rely on your licence to do your job. Our Solicitors understand how alien the Court environment is and will do everything possible to put you and your family at ease. Our team is extremely good at taking the matter off your shoulders, allowing you to feel confident that you have the best motoring law defence team in team in Coventry, Warwickshire and across the Midlands on your side.

We are a diverse, multi-lingual law firm and from our city centre offices in Coventry, our solicitors use best-in-class technology to provide clients with streamlined, modern, and highly effective motoring law advice and representation. Our solicitors have years of experience in road traffic and criminal law means we have relationships with some of the UK’s best Barristers and Queen’s Counsel. Our clients also benefit from our ability to instruct the country’s most respected expert witnesses who can provide the Court with the facts required to support a not guilty plea or mitigate the sentence handed down by a Judge.

What is the offence of drunk driving?

It is an offence to drive a “mechanically propelled vehicle” on any road or place to which the public have access whilst you are over the prescribed limit. If you are convicted of drink driving the Court can impose an unlimited fine, sentence you to up to six months imprisonment and must disqualify you from driving for at least 12 months. If it is your second offence within ten years, the Court will be obliged to disqualify you for at least three years.

Appearing before the court concerning any of these offences can have serious consequences and can be a very worrying and stressful time. We can advise you as to whether you may be able to defend the case, have the prosecution dropped, or secure the best possible outcome regarding sentencing.

Can I be convicted of drug driving?

Driving with a certain level of illegal drugs in your blood or if you’re unfit to drive because you are on legal or illegal drugs is an offence. The police have testing kits to screen for cannabis and cocaine at the roadside. You can also be asked to carry out impairment tests so the police can evaluate whether you are fit to drive. If they think you are unfit or if you fail the roadside screening tests you will be arrested and taken to the police station for a blood or urine test.

The above procedures must be carried out correctly and we can advise you as to whether any errors could lead to us successfully defending your case.

The penalties for drug driving are an unlimited fine, up to six months imprisonment and a minimum 12-month ban.

What is the special reasons defence?

In some circumstances, it may be possible to avoid being disqualified from driving if there are “special reasons”. This can apply where there is no defence to the charge but the circumstances relating to why the offence was committed are such that the Court may consider that a driving ban need not be imposed.

Special reasons can include:

Your drinks were spiked, and you were unaware that you were over the limit.
You drove a short distance and there was no risk of coming into contact with other road users.
You had to drive as a result of an emergency.

Special reasons is a difficult offence to argue and often it is necessary to obtain expert evidence to support your case. Our Drink and Drug Driving Solicitors have in-depth experience in persuading the Court that special reasons were present and have a strong track record of success.

Why choose us

Our Solicitors regularly defend clients facing motoring allegations at the police station and in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. We can also help with appeals against disqualification and applications for early reinstatement of your licence.

In some cases, we may be able to obtain legal aid for you. Where legal aid is not available, we charge reasonable and transparent fees and, in many cases, can provide you with a fixed fee so that you will not have to worry about legal costs.

Regardless of the charges against you, you are entitled to a criminal defence. We do not judge our clients; our only objective is to defend you against the Prosecution’s allegations. You can be confident that by instructing us to defend you, your chances of acquittal or a reduced sentence are greatly improved. The most important factor is to contact us as soon as you are taken to the police station.

People choose and recommend us not just in Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington, but across the Midlands and the whole of the UK.

To receive expert advice and if you have been charged with drink or drug driving, please call us on Coventry 02476 231000, email enquiries@askewslegal.co. or visit us at our city centre offices in Coventry.