We understand how important your driving licence is. Being convicted of a driving offence could be a life changing matter, particularly if you are dependent upon your ability to drive for work, family or leisure.

ESL’s expert solicitors are on hand to defend you against any driving offence. Whether you are facing an allegation of death by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, careless driving or drink driving our specialist team of motoring lawyers are on hand to help.

You are entitled to have access to free and independent legal advice if you are in custody at a police station from a solicitor of your choice, regardless of your income but if you go on to appear before a court for a motoring offence you would be assessed to see if you qualify for legal aid. However, most motoring offences do not qualify for legal aid. These include:

  • Careless driving
  • Driving without a licence
  • Driving without insurance
  • Driving without a valid MOT
  • Speeding
  • Using a mobile phone while driving
  • Failure to identify/provide information of the driver
  • Failure to notify the DVLA
  • Vehicle defect offences

Please call for a no obligation, initial consultation. We will also happily provide you with a quote. Where we can, we will provide you with a fixed fee, so you do not have to worry about the costs increasing. Call us now on 0117 9525 777.

Dangerous Driving and Death by Dangerous Driving

These cases are always very sad. The families and friends of the deceased look for someone to take the blame. You will obviously be very upset by the situation and your emotions will have a huge impact on the decisions you take. It is therefore absolutely vital that you engage an expert solicitor to guide you through the important decisions you need to take and explain to you the impact of each of these decisions.

A person drives dangerously if the way he drives falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous.

If convicted of dangerous driving, you could face up to 2 years in prison, a fine and a minimum driving ban of 12 months. You will also have to sit a compulsory extended test to be able to drive again once your ban has been served.

For the offence of causing death by dangerous driving to be proven, the death must be caused by the dangerous driving. This is where cases get complex, and where access to the best lawyers and expert witnesses could be crucial.

If convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, you could face up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine and a minimum 2 year driving ban. You will also have to sit a compulsory extended test to be able to drive again once your ban has been served.

There are a number of defences to the offence that you will need to consider. At ESL we have an expert team of solicitors with vast experience in dealing with offences of this nature. If you are facing such an allegation then get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your options. Call us on 0117 9525 777.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

The biggest problem with driving and drinking alcohol is that no one can absolutely say what is too much for you. We are all different shapes and sizes and therefore alcohol affects us all differently. Other factors such as whether we have eaten, what alcohol we have been drinking and even our stress levels will affect the way in which we react to alcohol. The same applies to driving under the influence of drugs, which is not limited to illicit substances and can include prescribed drugs.

The legal alcohol limit for drivers in the UK is:

  • 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath
  • 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
  • 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offence which can result in a prison sentence which is why getting the best possible legal advice is essential. Driving under the influence of drink or drug carries a mandatory minimum 12 month period of disqualification but in some cases there are legal arguments available to keep you on the road, such as Special Reasons.

If established these Special Reasons can give the court a discretion not to impose the otherwise inevitable ban from driving. The legal argument is based on something which does not amount to a defence but relates directly to the reason the offence was committed. This can include being under duress, having your drink spiked or possibly, driving only a very short distance.

Arguments such as Special Reasons are rare and complex, so call us to get expert advice before you do anything else. You should not enter any plea without taking expert advice from our team who has successfully defended many such cases over the years.

ESL can provide you with the highest quality legal advice and do our best to improve your chances of getting the result you want. Call us now on 0117 9525 777.

Totting Up/12 Points

If you acquire 12 or more points on your licence during a three year period you can be disqualified from driving under the ‘totting up’ provisions. This will usually result in an automatic disqualification of at least six months. This period can be extended to one or two years if you have previously been disqualified from driving as a “Totter”.

In some cases it is possible to avoid disqualification if the disqualification will cause you or your family ‘exceptional hardship’. Demonstrating ‘exceptional hardship’ can be very complex and difficult. Get in contact with our specialist team of lawyers who can achieve the best possible outcome on your behalf.

Do you need us to represent you? Contact us for a consultation

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