Specialist Dangerous Driving Defence Lawyers
Our specialist Dangerous Driving Solicitors are legal professionals with decades of experience defending individuals accused of these charges.
It is the most serious (non-fatal) driving offence you can be convicted of, and the potential consequences are severe.
Our team of motoring offence solicitors is here to help you throughout the process, from initial interviews through to court if this is required. We work hard to provide you with the best defence possible and are available to assist 24/7.
Call us or fill in our contact form to discuss your legal defence case with our team of highly-trained solicitors.
Why choose Draycott Browne’s Dangerous Driving Solicitors
The potential punishments for Dangerous Driving naturally make this a stressful time, we understand this and are here to provide complete support. All our advice is easy to understand, and we endeavour to keep you completely aware of how the case is progressing.
Our specialist Dangerous Driving Solicitors are here to help you throughout the entire process. We have a total understanding of dangerous driving law, which enables us to provide the best-possible defence should you be accused.
What is Dangerous Driving?
The offence of dangerous driving is outlined in the Road Traffic Act 1988. It is the most serious non-fatal road traffic offence a driver can face. Only fatal offences such as death by dangerous driving carry heavier sentences.
A person is regarded to have been driving dangerously if:
- The standard of their driving is far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in such a way would be dangerous or
- It would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving the vehicle in its current state would be dangerous.
Typically, an individual found guilty of a Dangerous Driving Offence may have been:
- Driving aggressively
- Racing
- Involved in a police chase
- Ignoring road signs and traffic lights
- Overtaking dangerously
- Using equipment which causes a distraction while driving
- Knowingly driving a vehicle with a dangerous fault.
If you have been judged to have committed any of these acts, you could be charged with dangerous driving, an offence which can carry severe penalties.
What are the penalties for Dangerous Driving?
Dangerous driving charges are triable either way, so your case could be heard in either the Magistrates’ Court or the Crown Court. The Magistrates’ Court can rule for a custodial sentence of 6 months maximum, while the Crown Court can impose up to a 2 years’ prison sentence. Either must disqualify someone convicted of dangerous driving for at least 12 months, and can impose an unlimited fine.
Other punishments you may face include:
- A prison sentence of up to five years
- Three to eleven penalty points on your licence
- Community service
This conviction will also be accessible to insurers, who may take the decision to dramatically increase your insurance following your conviction.
If banned, you will also be required to take a special extended driving test before getting your full driving licence again.
Any conviction for dangerous driving will include a driving disqualification, which can severely affect your professional and personal life. It is crucial to seek the advice of expert Dangerous Driving Lawyers in order to achieve the best possible outcome when faced with such serious charges.
How is a charge for Dangerous Driving defended?
Defending an allegation of dangerous driving must be done by highly experienced specialists who fully understand the legalities surrounding these offences. The consequences of being convicted for dangerous driving can be extremely serious, with costly fines and considerable prison sentences. There are a number of arguments that we have made for clients in both the Magistrates’ and Crown Court to defend allegations of dangerous driving, including:
You were not driving the vehicle
You may end up accused of a dangerous driving offence because a vehicle registered to you was involved in the event. However, this does not mean that you were personally driving the vehicle, and it could be possible to prove this by highlighting discrepancies in testimonies, or by proving you were elsewhere at the time of the alleged offence.
Your standard of driving was sufficient
We may be able to leverage visual evidence and witness statements to prove a competent and careful driver would have acted similarly in the same situation, therefore proving you were operating the vehicle at a reasonable standard.
You were unaware of an issue with your vehicle
If the allegation pivots on the condition of the vehicle, such as malfunctioning safety features or lighting systems, you may not have been aware of the fault, or it may have happened suddenly. It could be possible to prove that a competent and careful driver would have also been unaware of the issue.
Other circumstances can be considered when building a defence for dangerous driving, such as “duress of circumstances” - meaning the driver was driving in a dangerous manner to escape threat, injury, or death. Many of these arguments may mitigate your sentence, or prove you are not guilty of the alleged offence at all. Contact Draycott Browne’s Dangerous Driving Solicitors today to begin building a strong defence against allegations of dangerous driving.
Will a Dangerous Driving charge leave a criminal record?
If you are found guilty of Dangerous Driving, the first thing to note is that you will leave with a criminal record. You will need to disclose this to all future employers and it could potentially prohibit you from travelling to countries where a visa is required.
Alongside this, you will also face a mandatory driving ban. The length of the ban will be linked to the severity of your offence, unless your defence is based upon exceptional circumstances which prohibit this.
What is an Extended Driving Test?
Should you be convicted of dangerous driving and given a driving ban, you will be forced to take an extended driving test upon completion of your ban before being allowed to drive again.
Before taking the test, you will be required to apply for a new provisional licence and re-sit your theory test. You can apply for your provisional licence 56 days before your disqualification ends, the DVSA will typically send you a reminder around this time.
As you have already been found guilty of dangerous driving in the past, the extended driving test will be more difficult than a traditional driving test. This is to give the examiners a more thorough understanding of your driving abilities.
The test will be at least 60 minutes long and require you to cover a much wider variety of roads than the traditional driving test. Demonstrating your ability to safely perform an emergency stop is a mandatory part of the test. You may also be required to perform all four driving manoeuvres (front bay park, reverse bay park, parallel park, pull up on the right).
Once you pass your test, you will be able to send off for your full driving licence and begin driving immediately.
Contact our Dangerous Driving Solicitors today
When faced with prosecution over a dangerous driving offence, it is crucial that you seek the best criminal defence representation available to you. Even a minor driving offence could result in disqualification under the totting up procedure. We can help.
Our specialist Dangerous Driving Solicitors are part of our wider, and nationally recognised team of expert criminal solicitors in Manchester. We are highly regarded across the legal profession and noted for consistently excellent results.
Our Motoring Offence Solicitors possess a high degree of technical knowledge that will provide you with the quality you deserve in your legal representation.
We take great pride in our dedication and professionalism and are committed to achieving the best result possible for all of our clients. As one of the principal criminal defence law firms in the country, we will work tirelessly on your behalf, with an attention to detail and tenacity that is second to none, to ensure you have a strong and effective defence.
With your licence or liberty at stake, you cannot afford to settle for anything less than Draycott Browne and the quality legal representation our team provides.
If you or a loved one are seeking first-class legal advice and representation from experienced Motoring Solicitors, call one of our Dangerous Driving Solicitors in Manchester.