Central Chambers Law
Driving Offences
Speeding, drink driving, drug driving, dangerous and careless driving. Causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving. Totting up and exceptional hardship arguments.
Expert Defence for Motoring Prosecutions
Driving offences affect more people than any other area of criminal law. From speeding tickets to causing death by dangerous driving, motoring prosecutions can have devastating impacts on daily life, employment, and freedom. For many, driving isn't just convenience - it's essential for work, family responsibilities, and basic independence.
The complexity of modern traffic law surprises many drivers. What seems like a simple speeding ticket can escalate into serious criminal proceedings with life-changing consequences. Understanding your options and mounting effective defences requires specialist knowledge of both criminal law and technical traffic regulations.
Common Driving Offences and Consequences
Speeding remains the most common motoring offence, but penalties vary dramatically based on speed and circumstances. Whilst minor infractions might result in fixed penalties, excessive speed can lead to immediate disqualification and criminal prosecution. Speed awareness courses offer alternatives for some, but eligibility criteria are strict.
Drink driving prosecutions have become increasingly sophisticated with improved testing technology. The consequences are severe - minimum 12-month disqualification, potential imprisonment, and skyrocketing insurance costs for years afterwards. Borderline cases, where readings are close to legal limits, often provide grounds for technical defences.
Drug driving has seen explosive growth in prosecutions since 2015's law changes. Zero-tolerance limits for illegal drugs mean trace amounts can lead to convictions. Prescription medication can also lead to prosecutions if it impairs driving ability. These cases often involve complex toxicology evidence requiring expert challenge.
Dangerous driving covers a wide spectrum of behaviour from momentary lapses to sustained aggressive driving. The distinction between dangerous and careless driving significantly impacts potential sentences. Mobile phone use, racing, and extreme speeds commonly feature in these serious prosecutions.
Technical Defences and Procedural Challenges
Many driving prosecutions fail on technical grounds. Speed detection devices require proper calibration and operation. Breathalysers must be properly maintained and operated. Blood samples need correct storage and analysis. We scrutinise every aspect of evidence gathering, finding procedural failures that undermine prosecutions.
Special reasons and exceptional hardship arguments can prevent or reduce disqualifications even following convictions. Demonstrating that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship requires careful preparation and compelling evidence. We've successfully argued special reasons in cases involving medical emergencies, drink spiking, and shortness of distance driven.
Expert evidence transforms many cases. Accident reconstruction experts can challenge police interpretations of collision scenes. Toxicologists can explain how prescription medications affect different individuals. Medical experts can demonstrate how conditions like sleep apnoea or hypoglycaemia might explain erratic driving.
Protecting Your Licence and Liberty
The following is not to be used as legal advice, it is a general understanding of events.
For professional drivers, any conviction can mean career termination. We understand the heightened stakes for HGV drivers, taxi drivers, and others who drive for work. Our approach focuses on protecting livelihoods whilst achieving the best possible outcomes.
Totting up disqualifications threaten drivers who accumulate 12 penalty points. We've successfully argued exceptional hardship in hundreds of cases, keeping clients driving despite reaching 12 points. Each case requires individual assessment and strategic presentation.
Don't risk your licence with inadequate representation. Our specialist motoring defence team available 24/7 for urgent advice. Whether facing a speeding ticket or serious criminal charges, expert legal representation makes the crucial difference.