Drink Driving

Do you know the consequences of being convicted for drink driving?

Many people aren’t aware of the possible repercussions of being charged and convicted for drink driving. A conviction for a drink driving related offence can result in the loss of your license, rise in insurance premiums, issues with employment and difficulty traveling to certain countries such as the USA.

Have you failed a preliminary roadside breath test?

The police can request a preliminary roadside breath test when they have reason to suspect the following:

• The person has committed or are committing a moving traffic offence;
• Having been stopped, an officer has reasonable cause to suspect the person driving or attempting to drive has consumed alcohol;
• The police officer has reasonable cause to believe the person driving was involved in an accident.

Whilst the police are entitled to randomly stop your car, they cannot stop you at any time and insist on a breath test without having any of the above concerns. When presented with the option to provide a preliminary breath sample, you have the choice to refuse it, however this will result in you committing an offence and you may be arrested and prosecuted. However, if you have a reasonable excuse for failing or refusing the breath test, this may provide you with a defence. 

If you are looking for help with your drink driving charge, get in touch with Simon and Collingham Chambers today. 

Check out our previous article here.