Driving Offence Solicitors

The Driving Offence Solicitors at Clifford Johnston & Co. have extensive knowledge and skill in this area having successfully defended cases such as speeding, drink driving, and cases involving death whilst driving.

Cars are a vital part of our daily lives and for some of us, they are absolutely invaluable. If you are facing proceedings and the potential loss of your driving licence, it can be particularly worrying and stressful. You will need the experts behind you.

To give yourself the best chance of reducing the penalties you face, contact us today for professional and friendly advice.

In the event that you are facing motoring offence charges, engaging the services of Clifford Johnston and Co. offers you the optimum chance of securing a positive outcome. Our credentials speak for themselves, having seen us shortlisted as finalists for Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards in both 2019 and 2020.

Our Motoring Offence Services

Whether you are facing regulatory or criminal proceedings, our Driving Offence Solicitors are here to offer legal advice and assistance on all types of driving offences.

We are available twenty-four hours a day and we regularly offer our guidance and support to clients from their first police interview right the way through to subsequent court proceedings.

Our Motoring Law Solicitors deal with allegations such as:

Careless Driving

Driving without due care and attention can incur unlimited fines, 3-9 penalty points and/or disqualification for more serious offences.

Causing Death by Dangerous Driving

Arguably the most serious of the motoring offences, causing death by dangerous driving can attract a sentence of imprisonment of up to 14 years, a mandatory disqualification from driving any motor vehicle for a minimum of two years and a compulsory extended retest.

Dangerous Driving

Anyone found guilty of dangerous driving can face an unlimited fine, disqualification from driving for a minimum of 12 months, an extended retest and imprisonment of up to 2 years.

Drink Driving

If you are found to be driving a motor vehicle with more than 35 mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, you face a drink driving offence, with a mandatory 12-month disqualification, an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.

Drug Driving

If you are found guilty of driving whilst under the influence of drugs you will receive a mandatory driving disqualification for a minimum of 12 months, an unlimited fine and a possible prison sentence of up to six months.

Driving While Disqualified

Penalties for driving while disqualified include custodial sentences of up to 6 months, an unlimited fine as well as mandatory 6 penalty points and disqualification of up to 6 months.

Driving Without Insurance

Driving without insurance risks an on the spot fine of around £300 and six penalty points on your licence or other penalties including an unlimited fine and a driving ban if your case goes to court.

Failure to Stop

Every driver is obliged to stop if they are involved in any type of road traffic accident and failing to do so can lead to an unlimited fine and a prison sentence of six months.

Mobile Phone Offences

On the spot fines of around £200 and six penalty points are regularly handed out to anyone caught using their mobile phone whilst driving. You could also go to court and face a fine of up to £1,000 and a driving ban.

Speeding

Speeding is the most common driving offence on UK roads. Driving over the speed limit can earn you anything from a £100 fine and three penalty points on your licence right up to a much larger fine and a driving ban.

Taxi Offences

Clifford Johnston represents Taxi drivers across the full range of driving & regulatory offences they can face, including illegally plying for hire allegations and Licensing hearings. Rest assured that your licence and ability to ply your trade are priorities of ours.

What laws regulate motoring offences?

Motoring offences are covered by a number of different laws and pieces of legislation, depending on the type of offence and vehicles involved. Our Driving Offence Solicitors have experience defending accusations of driving offences under many laws, but the most common offences go against 2 main pieces of legislation:

Road Traffic Act 1988

The Road Traffic Act 1988 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, concerning licensing of vehicles, insurance and road regulation. It applies to all vehicles and drivers within the UK as it essentially covers the correct and appropriate use of vehicles on the road in the UK.

Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

The Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 is a piece of legislation that consolidates certain enactments relating to the prosecution and punishment (including the punishment without conviction) of road traffic offences. It sets out requirements for warning and prosecution of certain offences, such as dangerous driving, careless driving, leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position, and cycling offences. It also outlines the penalties for these offences, including fines, imprisonment, disqualification from driving, and penalty points.

Regardless of what offence you have been accused of, our motoring law solicitors can help. Clifford Johnston & Co. is a law firm with incredible experience in the field, and a track record of successful criminal defence cases. When you seek legal advice from our highly experienced motoring offence lawyers, you are guaranteed an expert professional by your side, who will fight to get you the best possible outcome.

What is a Notice of Intended Prosecution?

A Notice of Intended Prosecution, also known as NIP or Section 1 Warning, is a notice that the police issues to a vehicle’s registered keeper to inform them of their intention to prosecute them for a driving offence.

You may be issued an NIP to confirm you own and were driving the vehicle involved in some driving offences, such as:

• Speeding offences
• Traffic signal offences
• Dangerous driving

If you have received a Notice of Intended Prosecution, you must respond to it within 28 days from the date of receipt. Failure to do so can result in fines up to £1,000 and six penalty points. It is vital to use this time to request additional information related to the alleged offence, and to seek legal advice. Our Driving Offence Solicitors can help you reach a favourable outcome for your case.

The law states that a verbal Section 1 Warning must be issued “at the time of the offence”, while written NIPs may be served up to 14 days after the alleged offence.

How we can help

We provide leading defence and mitigation services to motorists and have helped hundreds of clients to avoid disqualification or prosecution. Many of the cases we work on are dropped by the prosecution entirely.

From the moment of your 1st contact with the police, we can provide you with the necessary guidance and support.  We provide clear, straightforward advice on the possible outcomes of your case. In situations where the fixed and unavoidable penalty is a driving ban, we can help reduce the length of the disqualification and help our clients get back on the road as soon as possible.

We understand the far-reaching consequences of a potential prosecution on you and your family and therefore we will work diligently to build an effective defence on your behalf, to protect your livelihood and independence.

How can I fund my legal defence for a driving offence?

At Clifford Johnston & Co., we’re dedicated to making sure your financial situation doesn’t hinder your access to quality legal advice. Our commitment covers both publicly and privately funded legal defence.

If you are worried about the financial aspect, you could be eligible for legal aid, and we’re here to assist. Our team will assess your eligibility and provide guidance on the legal aid application, allowing you to concentrate on your defence.

Get in touch with our Driving Offence Solicitors In Manchester & Stockport

By choosing to work with us you will have an exceptional team fighting your corner and one that is renowned across the industry for providing the highest standards of legal representation. All Driving offences are catered for at Clifford Johnston by our Criminal Defence Solicitors in Manchester & Stockport, so we are perfectly able to provide the best defence to charges no matter how serious the case may be. We often work with clients who seek to appeal against convictions as well.

For affordable, but professional legal advice regarding any Driving Offence, please do not hesitate to contact the motoring law experts at Clifford Johnston & Co. today.