Road Traffic Offence Solicitors in Birmingham
FREE initial consultation.
Can you afford to lose your licence?
Losing your driving licence can have dire consequences - in extreme cases, it could mean you can't work, or that you can't take your children to their usual school. If you're facing a charge for a road traffic offence, we may be able to help. At S & L Law Practice, we use our extensive knowledge in this field of law to give you the best chance of mitigating these charges.
We provide a first-class service, and are committed to getting the best possible result, whatever the circumstances. Based in Birmingham, we also work with clients in Coventry, Solihull, Wolverhampton, and throughout England and Wales.
What charges are you facing?
Our specialist team of road traffic offence solicitors offer legal representation for all motoring offences, including:
- Drink driving (driving under the influence)
- Drunk in charge of a motor vehicle
- Driving without insurance
- Failure to provide a specimen
- Speeding offences and minor traffic violations
- Causing death by dangerous driving
- Dangerous driving
- Driving without due care or careless driving
- Taxi licencing matters and appeals
Our experienced team can also help in other areas of criminal law.
Drink driving
Driving with a blood alcohol level about the prescribed limit is a direct contravention of Section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act. If you are successfully convicted of this offence, the minimum penalty is a 12-month driving ban - longer if you've had previous DR convictions in the last 10 years.
There are a wide range of aspects to consider, and contrary to popular belief, these are not always open-and-shut cases.
Drunk in charge
You are drunk in charge of a motor vehicle if you are proved to be:
- Over the legal limit for alcohol (in the blood, urine or breath)
- And in charge of the vehicle;
- And the motor vehicle is in a place to which the public has access
A conviction under Section 5(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act could leave you with a 10 point endorsement on your licence, and a large fine.
Failure to provide a specimen
Under Sections 6 and 7 of the Road Traffic Act, you are legally required to provide a specimen for analysis whenever a police officer suspects you or driving or attempting to drive whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Failure to provide a specimen at the roadside will then mean you will be taken into custody. Failure to provide a specimen at a police station carries a penalty of an automatic 12-month driving ban.
Causing death by dangerous driving
Contravening Section 1 is the most serious charge possible under the Road Traffic Act - causing death by dangerous driving.
Anyone who causes death as a result of dangerous driving faces a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison, and a 2-year driving ban. The prosecution must prove that the manner of driving was in fact dangerous, and that a link exists between the driving and the resultant death. These cases are prosecuted in the high court.
Careless driving
If you're charged under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act, the penalty you will face is between 3 and 9 penalty points or possible disqualification - depending on the seriousness.
Careless driving is quite a broad charge and can range from speeding offences, right through to causing a serious accident.
Dangerous driving
A Section 2 offence means that you could face up to two years in prison, and will almost certainly see a driving ban of 12 months or more. To get the charge through court, the prosecution must prove the driving was not to the standard of a careful and competent driver.
Once your driving ban is over, you will need to resit and pass the extended driving test before your licence is returned.
Driving without insurance
As per Section 143 of the Road Traffic Act, everyone who uses or causes and permits another person to use a motor vehicle on a public road or other public space, must have a valid insurance policy - at the very least, to cover third party risks.
If you contravene Section 143, you could face having 6 to 8 penalty points applied to your driving licence, with the added possibility of a period of disqualification from driving.
Speeding offences
Depending on the excess speed in which you were carrying at the time of prosecution, a speeding offence attracts an endorsement of, 3 or 6 penalty points, or a driving ban if your speed is deemed to be grossly excessive.
In most cases, a police officer will issue a fixed penalty notice with a 3 point endorsement and a fine. If this is not accepted and you proceed to court you risk the penalty being increased.
In many Magistrates Court (summary only) cases we will be able to agree a simple fixed fee with you in advance. Our fee will often fall within a range of possible charges and depend on whether you propose to plead guilty or not guilty and what you would like us to do on your behalf – in some cases it will be necessary to take statements from several defence witnesses or obtain expert evidence.
How much does legal representation for motoring offences cost?
The below sets out the range of driving offences that S & H Law Practice can defend for you, and an estimate of the costs involved.
Please note that all prices listed below do not include additional disbursements such as barristers or experts fees. No VAT is payable.
Each case falls on its own facts, and once we have established the facts of your individual case, we can give an indication of any additional costs that may be incurred so that you are aware of the cost up front.
Our Prices
Initial Consultation of maximum 1.5 hours is £500.
Speeding Offences ( Guilty Plea)
• For written representation on a speeding offence, defence costs are between £300 and £600.
• Representation for a guilty plea in Court will cost between £500 and £1000
Exceptional Hardship / Totting up Penalty Points (Guilty Plea)
• Representation costs are between £750-£1350
Drink Driving / Drug Driving / Failing to Provide a Specimen
• Guilty Plea – £650 – £1500
• Guilty Plea and Special Reasons – £950 – £2000
• Not Guilty Plea and trial – £2000-£4500
No Vat is payable.
What do these prices include?
Not Guilty Plea estimates based on first hearing and maximum one day trial.
Guilty Plea prices include:
- Initial meeting to ascertain the facts of your case and take instructions.
- Any necessary correspondence and contact with your lawyer.
- Reviewing evidence necessary to your particular case
- Advice regarding the case, the Court process (if necessary) and what to expect
- Meeting at court prior to hearing
- Representation in Court hearing
- Any necessary advice & assistance post hearing
Our charging rate set out above do not include;
- Expenses such as the costs associated with instructing experts, obtaining expert reports or the costs for an expert to attend Court to give evidence
- The costs of attending at additional Court hearings if the case does not proceed and is adjourned to a later date.
- Travel costs
If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost.
How long will it take?
For guilty plea cases, this will depend the court date for the final hearing. For not guilty pleas the average timespan is 3- 6months. Each case is individual and we can give you an indication of this during an initial consultation.
Who will be defending my case?
Shabana Hussain admitted as a solicitor in 2007 and specialises in Serious Crime and Road Traffic Law, and is the supervisor of the Practice. All of our motoring offence work is supervised by Shabana Hussain.
