Drink Driving Offence Solicitors
Charged with a drink driving offence? Talk to our solicitors today.
0330 165 9334- Free Initial Consultation
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- Courts Across England and Wales
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"EXCELLENT"Accused of a Drink Driving Offence?
If you have been caught drink driving, our specialist drink driving solicitors are here to help. We understand how frightening a drink driving charge can be. The worry about losing your driving licence, what it means for work, and how it might affect your family can feel all-consuming. You are not alone.
A drink driving offence is a serious offence under section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It is a road traffic offence to drive or be attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road or public place while over the legal limit. The prescribed limits are 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, or 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine.
A drink driving conviction carries a mandatory disqualification of at least 12 months, an unlimited fine, and up to 6 months in prison. This is a common offence, and our team of drink driving solicitors have helped thousands of people in exactly your position. There are more options available than you might think.
Our solicitors offer a free initial consultation to give you an honest assessment of your drink driving case. Contact our solicitors as soon as possible to understand where you stand.
Legal Limits in England & Wales
Breath
Blood
Urine
Drink Drive Penalties and Your Licence
The consequences of drink driving are serious. The sentence depends on several factors, including your breath, blood, or urine reading and whether this is a first or repeat offence. Penalties vary depending on the severity of the offence, but the outcome may not be as severe as you fear.
Driving Licence Ban
A mandatory disqualification of at least 12 months. Losing your driving licence can affect every part of your life, but the court may reduce the driving ban if special reasons are accepted.
Unlimited Fine
The court can impose a fine with no upper limit. Driving with excess alcohol is treated seriously, and the amount depends on your income and circumstances of the offence.
Imprisonment
A prison sentence of up to 6 months is possible, particularly where the alcohol reading is very high or for repeat offenders.
Penalty Points
Between 3 and 11 penalty points on your licence where disqualification is not imposed by the court.
Criminal Record
A drink driving conviction results in a criminal record that you will need to declare for a minimum of 5 years.
We appreciate that reading through these penalties can feel daunting. It is important to remember that the sentence you receive will depend on the specific facts of your case, and a specialist drink driving solicitor can often achieve a better outcome than you might expect.
A second drink driving conviction within 10 years carries a minimum drink driving ban of 3 years. Being banned from driving for this length of time can feel overwhelming, but a high-risk offender may also be required to pass a medical examination before their licence is reinstated.
The court may offer a drink driving rehabilitation course (DDRS). Completing this driving rehabilitation course can reduce your driving ban by up to 25%. The conviction remains on your record, but the period of disqualification can be shortened significantly.
Drug Driving and Failing to Provide
A drink driving charge is not the only offence you may face. We also defend related charges including drug driving and failing to provide a specimen.
Drunk in Charge of a Motor Vehicle
You do not need to be driving to face a drink driving-related charge. If you are found in charge of a vehicle while over the legal limit, you could be found guilty of the offence of being drunk in charge. This can apply even where you were sitting in a parked vehicle with no intention of driving.
The penalty for this offence includes a possible driving ban, 10 penalty points, an unlimited fine, and up to 3 months in prison. In court, the burden falls on the defence to demonstrate that there was no likelihood of driving while alcohol levels remained above the prescribed limit.
Failing to Provide a Specimen
If you are asked to provide a specimen of breath, blood, or urine at a police station and you refuse or fail to do so, you may be charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis. This offence carries the same penalties as driving or drunk in charge, depending on the circumstances.
You may have a defence if you had a reasonable excuse for not providing a specimen - for example, a genuine medical condition supported by documentary evidence.
This is a particularly technical area of law. If you are facing this charge, a specialist solicitor can advise on whether you have a reasonable excuse defence.
Drink Driving Legal Advice and Representation
Being accused of drink driving does not always mean you will be convicted. There are a number of ways to challenge the prosecution evidence, and you may have a defence that could lead to an acquittal or a more favourable outcome.
Even if you intend to plead guilty, an expert drink driving solicitor can present mitigation on your behalf and check that the correct procedures were followed. Our solicitors can provide advice on whether it may be possible to secure a shorter ban, avoid a custodial sentence, or reduce the overall penalty.
We give you the best chance of a favourable result by examining every detail of your case. We provide legal advice you can trust, and we would never encourage you to challenge a charge unless we believed there was a genuine prospect of success. There is no pressure to make any decisions straight away.
Procedural Errors
The police must follow a strict statutory procedure when requesting a breath, blood, or urine specimen. Any failure in this process could mean the evidence is inadmissible.
Device Reliability
Breath testing devices must be properly calibrated and maintained. Our solicitors examine the device records to identify any reliability issues with your reading.
Hip Flask Defence
If you consumed alcohol after driving but before providing a specimen, this may have affected the reading. This defence can result in a complete acquittal.
Special Reasons
Even where a conviction stands, arguments under section 34(1) of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 may persuade the court not to impose a disqualification.
Motoring Offence Solicitors
Defending drink driving cases is all we do. Our legal team will give you an honest assessment of your case, explain your options clearly, and represent you from the police station through to trial. No sales talk, just straightforward advice from one of our motoring defence specialists.
SRA Regulated
Every solicitor is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Fixed Fee
No hidden costs or nasty surprises. Know the cost from the outset on a fixed fee basis.
Proven Track Record
Over 10,000 motoring cases handled and 1,700+ five-star reviews. Clients rate us as the best legal representation for motoring defence.
Nationwide Coverage
Representation in magistrates' and crown courts across England and Wales.
Free Consultation
Speak to a specialist for a free initial consultation about your drink driving case at no obligation.
Drink Driving Solicitors
Best rated drink driving lawyers on Trustpilot, focused exclusively on motoring defence.
Trusted Drink Driving Lawyers
“I was facing a 12-month ban and was terrified of losing my job. My solicitor identified a procedural error at the police station which led to the case being dismissed entirely. I cannot recommend this service highly enough.”
James R.
Case Dismissed“From the very first phone call I felt reassured. The solicitor explained everything clearly, prepared my case thoroughly, and secured a much shorter ban than I expected. The fixed fee meant no surprises.”
Sarah M.
Reduced Ban“I pleaded guilty but having a specialist solicitor present my mitigation made a real difference. The magistrates accepted special reasons and I kept my licence. Professional, honest, and effective.”
David K.
Licence Retained“Arrested on a Friday night and needed help fast. A solicitor called me back within the hour, even on a weekend. They guided me through every step and the outcome was far better than I feared.”
Claire W.
Exceptional ServiceGet in Touch for Free Initial Advice
When you get in touch, a specialist drink driving solicitor will discuss the details of your case in complete confidence. This initial consultation is free and carries no obligation. You can take your time, and there is no pressure to make any decisions straight away.
Review Your Evidence
We review all evidence including your breath, blood, or urine reading and the police station procedure records.
Identify Your Options
We identify any possible defence or grounds to challenge the case. In drink driving offence cases, there are often more options than you might expect.
Advise on Likely Sentence
We advise you on the likely sentence and whether a reduction in your driving ban may be achievable.
Represent You at Court
We attend court with you and present the strongest possible case on your behalf.
You are in safe hands. Our specialist solicitors are here to help with your drink driving matter. If you would like to talk through your situation, we are here to listen.
Call 0330 165 9334Request a Free, No-Obligation Callback
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Drink Drive Offence Questions
A drink driving charge is a criminal offence that can result in a driving ban, an unlimited fine, and imprisonment. Whether you intend to plead guilty or contest the charge, a specialist solicitor will check the procedures were followed correctly and work to achieve the best possible outcome for you. Many people assume there is nothing that can be done, but that is often not the case.
In certain circumstances, yes. If the court accepts that special reasons existed - for example, driving a very short distance in an emergency or being the victim of a laced drink - it may decide not to impose a disqualification or to reduce its length. A specialist drink driving solicitor can assess whether special reasons may apply in your situation.
Your initial consultation is completely free and carries no obligation. We work on a fixed-fee basis so you will know exactly what to expect from the outset, with no hidden costs. If your case is successfully defended, you may be entitled to recover your legal costs through a Defendant Costs Order.
A drink driving conviction results in a criminal record that you may need to declare to employers for up to 5 years. If your role involves driving, a disqualification could have a direct impact on your livelihood. We understand how worrying this is, and we can advise on the steps you can take to protect your employment where possible.
A prison sentence is possible but not common for a first offence. Custody is more likely where you were driving under the influence of drink with a very high reading, where there has been an accident, or for repeat offenders. A specialist solicitor can advise on the likely sentence in your case and present mitigation to reduce the risk of imprisonment.
Your case will be heard at a magistrates court. If you plead guilty, your solicitor will present mitigation to the court on your behalf. If you plead not guilty, the case will be listed for trial. We will be with you throughout the process and will explain every step so you know exactly what to expect.
The terms are used interchangeably. Our drink driving lawyers are qualified solicitors who specialise in motoring defence. When you instruct us, you are working with a legal team that handles drink driving and related legal matters every day.
In most cases, you do not need to retake your driving test after a standard drink driving ban. However, if you are classified as a high-risk offender or disqualified for 56 days or more, the DVLA may require you to pass a medical before returning to the driving seat.
Drink Driving Solicitors in London and Nationwide
Our drink driving solicitors in London and across England and Wales represent clients in every magistrates' and crown court. We cover courts across London, the South East, and every region nationwide.
North West
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Preston
- Chester
- Carlisle
London & South East
- Central London
- Croydon
- Reading
- Brighton
- Canterbury
Midlands
- Birmingham
- Nottingham
- Leicester
- Coventry
- Derby
Yorkshire & North East
- Leeds
- Sheffield
- Newcastle
- York
- Hull
South West & Wales
- Cardiff
- Bristol
- Swansea
- Exeter
- Plymouth
East of England
- Norwich
- Cambridge
- Ipswich
- Colchester
- Chelmsford
Your area not listed? We cover every court in England and Wales.
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