Motoring Law

A driving offence refers to a violation of traffic laws, which can lead to various punishments if found guilty.

Driving offences range from driving without an MOT or insurance to more serious driving offences, such as failure to provide a specimen, driving without due care and attention and causing death by dangerous driving.

Potential punishments for a driving offence conviction include fines, points on your licence, disqualification from driving, and a custodial sentence in the most serious cases.

If you are facing a driving offence, it is important to seek legal advice from experienced driving offence solicitors to ensure the best possible outcome.

The psychological, practical and legal impact of dealing with a driving penalty is made easier when an expert legal team is handling the case.

DPP Law has been working with people to contest driving offence allegations and charges since 1982. Contact us today on 0333 200 5859 to speak with our expert motoring law solicitors.

What can you expect when you are accused or charged with a driving offence?

Driving offences can range in severity but most commonly involve an on-the-spot fine or a warning if you are deemed to not be in full control of a vehicle.

You can also receive points on your licence that can build up over time. This is called ‘totting up’ and can lead to a driving ban if you receive 12 or more points.

For more serious driving offences, such as careless or dangerous driving, you may have put other road users at risk. In such circumstances, you face a fine, driving ban and, in the case of dangerous driving, prison time.

Regardless of the allegations or charges against you, it is essential to seek the legal services of experienced and proactive motoring offence solicitors, such as the team at DPP Law, to achieve the best possible outcome.

Let DPP Law’s motoring offence solicitors take the stress away

Here at DPP, our experienced motoring offence solicitors are experts in handling all types of driving offence cases.

Our driving offence solicitors are highly experienced in helping those accused of driving offences and can help defend you in circumstances such as:

• Totting up points from minor offences, such as speeding
• Driving under the influence of drink or drugs
• Driving without insurance
• Driving without an MOT
• Driving whilst disqualified
• Driving without due care and attention (Careless driving)
• Causing death by dangerous driving
• Failure to provide a specimen
• Driving ban appeals

This area covers both non-serious and serious driving offences, which are classified as “any offence that cannot simply be punished by a fixed penalty”, such as when an offender receives a speeding fine.

Therefore, the term covers a range of offences including driving while disqualified, drunk driving and causing death by careless or dangerous driving.

Speak with our motoring law solicitors today for expert legal advice

Our experienced and highly respected motoring offence solicitors are here to help anyone dealing with a driving penalty, offering advice and professional representation to all.

DPP Law has been helping clients to defend driving charges since 1982. Our driving offence solicitors understand the psychological, practical and legal impact of bearing any driving offence. Which is exactly why you should contact DPP Law’s driving offence solicitors today for expert legal representation.

For further advice on how to deal with being accused of a driving offence, contact DPP Law on 0333 200 5859.

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Solicitor for my drink driving charge

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Driving Offences: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to attend court for a driving offence?

Attending court for a driving offence is not necessarily required. However, if you decide to plead guilty to a serious driving offence, you will be required to attend court, as there is a possibility that you may receive a disqualification from driving.

In these cases, legal representation is essential to ensure you have the right help in place to reduce or avoid a driving ban wherever possible.

Do driving offences show on a CRB?

Driving offences will only be shown on a DBS certificate if they cross the line from a civil motoring offence to a criminal offence, which is dealt with through the court. For instance, dangerous driving falls into this category.

Is there a time limit on driving offences?

For most summary road traffic offences there is a six-month time limit. However, if it is a statutory offence, there can be exceptions to the rule.

Following directly after the offence, there is a 14-day period in which a prosecution can be pursued.

Is death by dangerous driving manslaughter?

Yes, death by dangerous driving is a form of manslaughter in British criminal law. It occurs when a person causes the death of another person by driving a vehicle dangerously.

Dangerous driving refers to driving that falls far below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver and poses a risk of injury or harm to other road users or members of the public.

If a person is charged with death by dangerous driving and is found guilty, they may face a prison sentence, disqualification from driving, and other penalties.

What is the difference between causing death by dangerous driving and careless driving?

Causing death by dangerous driving and careless driving are both driving-related offences. However, they differ in their level of severity and culpability.

Careless driving refers to driving that falls below the expected standard, while dangerous driving poses a serious risk of danger and causes the death of another.

The penalty for causing death by dangerous driving is typically more severe, which is why you should seek advice from a motoring law solicitor.

How much do driving offence solicitors cost?

The actual costs of representing you in Court will vary according to the circumstances of the offence.

In a typical case at a local Magistrates’ Court, we charge a fixed fee of £300 plus VAT. There may be additional costs to cover, such as travel and medical reports, but we will advise you of these in advance.

If the offence is disputed, our fees will range from £1500 to £3000 plus VAT. We will provide a full quotation for services that fall outside the fixed fee.

What qualifications does DPP Law have?

All of our experienced solicitors for driving offences are solicitor advocates with more than five years’ experience and are qualified to act as supervisors in motoring matters.

DPP Law holds The Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management and is an accredited Legal 500 firm in the UK.

What is a Notice of Intended Prosecution?

The police will issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP), also known as a Section 1 Warning, to inform a driver that they intend to prosecute for a motoring offence.

A NIP is issued to the keeper of a vehicle verbally at the time of the alleged offence or in a written letter within 14 days.

Failing to respond to a NIP can result in a fine of up to £1,000 and six penalty points. Therefore, if you receive a NIP you should seek immediate legal advice.

What if I don’t receive a NIP within 14 days of an alleged offence?

If the police fail to issue you with a NIP within 14 days of the alleged offence, you will be entitled to reject it on account of it being time-barred.

However, bear in mind that it is the issue date of the NIP that must be within 14 days of the alleged offence, not the date you receive it.

If the alleged offence took place in a lease or hire car, the NIP will be issued to the lease or hire car company, who will then be obliged to identify the driver.

In such cases, the driver’s NIP can be justifiably served beyond the 14-day limit. Even if you believe a NIP has been served late, you must still respond to it with your rejection.

If my case goes to court, will I be disqualified?

Not necessarily. There are various ways a driver may be disqualified from driving.

These include mandatory disqualifications, such as those involving drink driving; discretionary disqualifications, such as speeding combined with other aggravating factors; and ‘totting up’ disqualifications when a driver has accumulated 12 or more points on their licence within three years. However, DPP Law’s motoring offence solicitors are here to help.

If you are being prosecuted for driving offences and are worried that you might be disqualified from driving, our experienced driving offence solicitors can employ various strategies to either shorten the potential ban or have it overturned altogether.

DPP Law has a proven track record of assisting individuals to lodge driving ban appeals, which means you should contact our team as soon as possible if you are under investigation.