Drug-driving charges can result in severe penalties that may seriously disrupt your life. But, with the help of a highly-qualified drug-driving lawyer, the consequences may not be as bad as you originally feared.
So, what are drug-driving offences and how can a drug-driving lawyer support you if you’re caught under the influence?
We explore all there is to know throughout this article.
What are drug-driving offences?
A drug-driving offence involves driving or attempting to drive a vehicle with a controlled drug above a specified level in your blood.
This includes legally prescribed and illegal drugs: you can see the official list of threshold limits at GOV.UK.
The potential penalties for drug driving range from driving bans, to fines, or even prison time depending on the severity of the charge.
How can you be caught drug-driving?
If a police officer believes you to be over the legal drug-driving limit whilst driving, they could pull you over and ask you to walk in a straight line, do a pupil test, or even use a roadside drug test kit (testing for cocaine and cannabis).
If the officer has reasonable cause, you’ll be arrested and taken to the police station where a urine or blood test will determine whether you’re over the drug-driving legal limit.
Then, depending on whether the test results show you’re over the legal limit, you could be charged there and then.
When should you contact a drug-driving lawyer?
The key is to be proactive if you’ve been caught drug-driving – after your arrest, your first move should be to contact a specialist drug-driving lawyer who will start your defence immediately.
The sooner you do this the better, as they may be able to force the police to take no further action against you if the correct police procedures weren’t adhered to, and you could be released without charge.
If this option isn’t on the table, your drug-driving lawyer will begin planning your defence in reply to the charge against you.
How can a drug-driving lawyer help you?
A drug-driving lawyer will:
Offer legal advice
Drug-driving lawyers have an in-depth understanding of the law, meaning they can provide the best and most helpful advice regarding the legalities and procedures involved in drug-driving cases.
They’ll explain your options moving forward, ensuring you have all the information to prevent you from making rash decisions regarding your charge.
Plan your defence
- Evaluate the circumstances concerning your arrest – not all allegations are cut and dry, even if you’re found with drugs in your system.
- Scrutinise the prosecution’s case down to the finest details – drug-driving lawyers know the ins and outs of police procedures and the fact that the CPS must prove that the drug detected impacted your ability to drive.
- Consider Special Reasons defence if applicable to prevent mandatory disqualification – this could include doctors failing to inform you that your prescribed medication could lead to you being over the threshold whilst driving.
- If the offence committed is severe, your drug-driving lawyer will build a defence that could lessen the consequences if you’re expected to be found guilty – this could be advising a guilty plea and attending a drug-driving rehabilitation course to avoid a driving disqualification or prison.
Represent you in court
Your drug-driving lawyer will represent you in court and use the law to your benefit.
Their experience with past drug-driving cases means they’ll be able to anticipate the prosecution’s challenges and arguments and have a prepared defence.
What’s more, they’ll highlight any procedural errors during your arrest and look for technical defences, undermining the case against you in court.
A knowledgeable and qualified drug-driving lawyer is your best shot at avoiding or reducing the penalties associated with drug-driving. Preceding without one could result in charges that could have been avoided under the guidance of a professional with a complete understanding of the law.