Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course

A Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course provides education to individuals who have been convicted of drunk driving offences. By successfully completing this course, the attendee may be eligible for a reduction in their driving ban. Our driving solicitors specialize in traffic and driving-related legal matters and will provide you with guidance based on their knowledge and experience in this field.

Quick Facts
What is a Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course	A Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course is an educational program with the purpose of helping individuals convicted of drink-driving offenses and potentially reduce their driving ban by completing the course.
Laws governing Drink Drive Rehabilitation Courses	Road Traffic Act 1988
Reduction on driving ban	The exact reduction is based on the provisions of the law and the completion of the rehabilitation course.
Conditions for reduction	– the offender must be at least 17 years old; – the court must clearly explain the reduction order to the offender; – the offender must agree to the reduction order; – the offender must successfully complete the course by a specific date.
Timeline for course completion	At least two months before the end of the reduced ban period.
Course duration (approx.)	16 hours
Course structure	– usually divided into three separate sessions, – held on different days over a three-week period.
Enrolling in a course	Once in court due to a drink driving offense, convicted individuals need to make a decision about whether to enroll in a Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course; – For research and assistance, please contact our driving offence solicitors.
Certification	At the end of the course, the individual will receive a certification indicating their completion of the course that must be sent to the court.
High-risk offender classification	Might need to reapply for the driving license and undergo a medical assessment in this case.
Changing courses	You can change your drink driver rehabilitation course before you start it; Contact our driving offence solicitors in London if you are interested in this option.
DVLA notification	The court must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about the individual’s completion of the course.
Advantages of taking the course	– you can achieve a significant driving ban reduction; – learn about the dangers of drunk driving; – become a safer driver and avoid penalties in the future, etc.
Responsabilities	The individual who has been convicted of the offense is responsible for enrolling in the selected course and completing it within the specified deadline.
How can our driving offence solicitors help	– legal advice, – case assessment, – representation in court, – researching the best course, – negotiating the sentence, etc.
Drink drive course cost	£250 (can be subject to variations)
Course type	In person or remotely
Cases in which the ban is not reduced	The offender does not complete the course or does not pay for the course.
Withdraw the decision to take a course	Not possible once communicated.
Problems with the course	You can discuss these with the course provider and make amends, as needed.
Unsolvable problems with drink drive rehabilitation course providers	If you have a serious issue with the course provider, you can contact us and we will help you report this to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
Can you take the course if disqualified in Northern Ireland?	No
Northern Ireland courses for drink drive rehabilitation	Courses are also available, however, the process is slightly different, hence the inability to take the course here.
The drink drive limit in the UK	We remind offenders that the level of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is 35.
Minimum driving ban in the UK	At least 1 year many cases (or 3 years if convicted twice in 10 years).
Maximum driving ban in the UK	At least 5 years when causing death through careless driving while under the influence of alcohol.
When to contact us	As soon as you have been charged with driving, attempting to drive, or being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit.
Services offered by our drink drive solicitors in the UK	Legal representation, court attendance, counsel on penalties, and penalty mitigation (if applicable).
About us	We are a team of dedicated and professional solicitors in London who also offer services in other UK cities.
Why work with us	We have experience in defending various drink drive cases in the UK. You can rely on our assistance if you have been found guilty of driving with an alcohol concentration above the legal limit.

The legal framework on Drink Drive Rehabilitation Courses

If you are convicted of certain drunk driving offences and the court imposes a driving ban period of at least twelve months, you can reduce that ban by the drink driver rehabilitation course, according to the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The court can order a reduction in the ban if the offender successfully completes a course approved by the Secretary of State. The reduction can be between three months and 25% of the original ban. For example, if the original ban is twelve months, the reduced ban cannot be less than nine months.

However, some conditions need to be met for this reduction to apply. Our drink drive solicitors can explain the requirements in detail. For example, the offender must be 17 years or older, and the court needs to explain the order to them clearly. The offender must agree to the order and complete the Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course by a date specified in the order, which must be at least two months before the reduced ban period ends.

Penalties for drunk driving

The penalties that may apply if someone is charged and found guilty of a drink driving offence vary depending on the specific circumstances and facts of the case, and they are typically determined by a District Judge. Our drink drive solicitors can help reduce some of these penalties, if possible. Here are the offences and penalties:

• Causing death or grievous bodily injury: Up to 14 years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a ban from driving for at least two years, and an extended driving test before the license is returned;
• Driving or attempting to drive above the legal limit or while unfit: Up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000, a ban from driving for at least 12 months, and a driving test before the license is returned. The driving ban might be reduced by taking a drink driver rehabilitation course;
• Refusing to provide specimen: Up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000, a ban from driving for at least 12 months, and a driving test before the license is returned;
• Being in charge of a vehicle while over the legal limit or unfit: Up to three months imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500, and a possible ban from driving for a period determined by the District Judge.

For drink drive offenders if they are banned from driving for 12 or more months, there is the possibility to take the drink driver rehabilitation course. If you are looking for a course in the capital city, our driving offence solicitors in London can help you.

The process of taking a drink driver rehabilitation course

It is very important to know that once you are in court, you will need to decide whether you want to enroll in a Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course. You will not have the option to change your mind at a later time.

Before your court appearance, research and select a course you would like to attend. Our drink driving solicitors in London can help you with your research. Once you have been convicted, the court will share your information with the course provider. The course provider will then send you information about the available dates for the course and the deadline by which you must complete it.

The courses are conducted in person and typically take approximately 16 hours in total, which is usually divided into three sessions held on separate days over a span of three weeks. A Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course will also include other individuals who have been convicted of drink-driving offences.

You are responsible for enrolling in and completing the chosen course by the given deadline. Find out more about your options from the video below:

Choosing the drink driver rehabilitation course

Before your court appearance related to a drink-driving offence, it is advisable to research and decide which drink drive rehabilitation course you want to attend. Our driving solicitors can help you. It is advised to do this in advance so that you are prepared in case the court offers you the option to attend such a course as part of your penalty.

When the court determines that you are eligible for a drink drive rehabilitation course as part of your penalty, it will issue what is referred to as a “referral order.” This order contains your information and specifies that you are required to complete a rehabilitation course.

The court will send this referral order and your information to the organization or provider that offers the drink drive rehabilitation course you selected or indicated interest in during your research.

The course provider will then contact you with details of available course dates. He/she will also inform you of the deadline by which you must complete the course to have your driving ban reduced.

Our driving offence solicitors can recommend some courses and aid in the entire legal process.

Topics covered by a drink drive rehabilitation course

A drink driver rehabilitation course covers a range of topics aimed at educating individuals who have been convicted of drink driving offences. These topics are mostly about:

• The impact of alcohol use on driving, how alcohol impairs one’s ability to drive safely and the risks associated with driving under the influence;
• The potential impact of drink driving on yourself and others, with the consequences and dangers of drink driving, not only for the driver but also for passengers, pedestrians, and other road users;
• The legal aspects of drink driving, including the relevant regulations, and penalties;
• A drink driver rehabilitation course also covers the physical and mental health effects of alcohol consumption, both short-term and long-term;
• The acceptance of responsibility and accountability for one’s actions;
• Helping participants set achievable goals for reducing or eliminating drink driving behavior;
• Identifying the factors that may lead to relapse or make it challenging to avoid drink driving;
• Providing participants with practical strategies and coping mechanisms to overcome obstacles.

Our drink drive solicitors provide support throughout the legal process.

Completing the course

Once you successfully complete the drink driver rehabilitation course, you will receive a certification that will be sent to the court. The court will later inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about your completion of the course, which will result in a reduction of your driving ban.

If you are classified as a “high-risk offender,” you will need to reapply for your driving license and undergo a medical assessment. If you are unsure whether you fall into this category, you should check with our driving offence solicitors for guidance.

Finally, here are some insights about the participation and utilization of rehabilitation courses by drink driving offenders:

• There were over 8,000 courses taken from April to June 2017 in the UK;
• Over 200 took place in South and Central London;
• The highest number of courses were taken in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk (694).

Frequently asked questions about the drink drive rehabilitation courses

Taking a drink drive rehabilitation course is a suitable option for an individual found guilty of committing a drink drive offence, given the fact that it allows one to reduce the driving ban. Even with the evident given advantages of following this course, the applicant may find that he/she has a set of questions. Below, our drink drive solicitor answers some of the most common questions concerning this course used to reduce the driving ban.

How a drink drive rehabilitation course will help you

Part of the drink-drive rehabilitation course is understanding the law related to drink driving in the United Kingdom. The course covers several key issues:

• the definition of the conviction: drink driving is considered an “absolute offence”; the course attendee is required to understand the possible penalties for this type of offence (possible imprisonment, as well as fines, his/her disqualification as a driver, the confiscation of the vehicle, etc.), as well as the possible and real impact that a criminal record might have on the individual (such as travel limitations and higher insurance costs, among others);
• the consequences of repeated drink driving convictions: when taking the course, the person found guilty of drink driving will be informed of how a second conviction of this type can qualify him or her as a “high-risk offender”.

Apart from being a very clear (and sobering) source of information on the potential negative legal impact of these types of activities (if repeated/continued in the future), the course also highlights the manner in which alcohol impairs one’s ability to drive safely from a medical/physical point of view, as well as the long-term medical effects of chronic alcohol consumption. The drink drive rehabilitation course also contains a unit that deals with drinking behaviour in relation to driving.

Lastly, a drink driving rehabilitation course will make the attendee accept the responsibility for his or her actions, as well as become accountable for these. The participant will need to show that his or her understanding has changed and that there is a solid base for this change, following the completion of the course. Finally, as per the course provider’s evaluation, the person will be granted a reduction of the driving ban.

Contact our driving solicitors for advice regarding your specific circumstances and if you are seeking what is the closest ”drink driving rehabilitation course near me”.