Posts Tagged ‘drink driving’

Cold And Flu Remedies Could Seriously Affect Driving Ability

November 4th, 2010

The common cold is far more dangerous than you might think. Many people are unaware that driving under the influence of drugs, even prescribed ones, is a criminal offence which carries the same penalties as drink driving. This winter millions of drivers risk breaking the law by dosing themselves on cough and cold remedies that could make them unsafe on the roads.

The average adult will suffer up to 4 yearly colds, so be careful when you’re stocking up on medicine for the start of the official cold and flu season. Many can cause a level of drowsiness that is the equivalent to being drunk, with slower reaction times and a drop in hazard awareness. Such medicines can include those which relieve allergies, coughs, travel sickness and sleep remedies.

Experts think warnings on packets of cough and cold medicines are often hard to find, and are calling instead for a traffic light scheme to alert users to the potential driving hazards. The traffic light system is already in operation in France, where a set of pictures are used to demonstrate levels of drowsiness in different products. Still, critics say this is not a clear set of warnings.

ITV’s This Morning Doctor, Chris Steele agrees, urging drivers taking medication to check with their doctor or pharmacist before getting behind the wheel. He added that even taking medication at night may not mean it is safe to drive the next morning, as some drugs can take several hours to disappear from the body.

Dr Chris spoke in support of GEM Motoring Assist, who launched an initiative to combat drug driving and increase the safety of Britain’s roads this Christmas. The Chief Executive of the company, David Williams, stated that “too often the warnings on medicine packaging are vague and difficult to find which causes great confusion and can lead to real dangers on our roads”.

A drink driving ban will require the help of a solicitor with experience in motoring offences


Ambulance Speeding Case

November 4th, 2010

Paul Bex, an ambulance driver from Cambridge, faces losing his job after being caught speeding at 112mph by a speed camera in Lincolnshire. Bex was making his way quickly to the North East to transport an organ after being told it was imperative to make the journey within 3 hours to save the life of a patient needing a liver transplant.

Appeals from his employers Lifeline Medical Transport Service have been ignored so Paul will have to stand up in court on 7 July to contest the claims.

A loophole in the law means that it is in fact illegal for ambulances not carrying a patient to exceed the speed limit, even in cases of medical emergency. Anyone caught speeding in excess of 100 mph faces a 12 month ban. The news has caused Mr Bex a lot of stress, as if he loses his license as an outcome he will be unable to continue working. He said, “I was doing my job safely and as quickly as possible. Now I find out I could lose my licence”.

Don Williams, President of the British Ambulance Association, said the law was nonsense. Ambulance drivers have a duty of care towards a patient and if a surgeon tells them the situation is time-critical, it is in their duty to get the organ to the patient as quickly as possible. Ambulance drivers are trained to the same high standards as police officers and are equipped to drive safely at high speeds. Williams proposed a change to the legal definition of an ambulance so that transporting human tissue would be included.

Just last week, an ambulance driver accused of speeding in a similar situation had his case dropped. Mike Ferguson plans to continue campaigning to clarify the law so that other emergency service drivers will not have to suffer at the same expense. In 2004 ambulance drivers transporting patients were exempted from penalties resulting from being caught by speed cameras, which previously affected more than 1,000 each year.

Careless driving and driving whilst under the influence of alcohol can lead to a Drink driving ban.


Driving The Day After A Night Out

October 20th, 2010

Are you aware of the dangers of morning-after driving? Recent research has discovered that around four out of five drivers admit to suspecting that they have driven the morning after a night out and still been over the legal limit.

The maximum legal blood alcohol content for drivers in the UK is 80 milligrams. It can take up to 12 hours for this to drop enough to drive after drinking either one bottle of wine or four pints of strong lager. Estimates suggests each unit of alcohol takes up to an hour for the body to process, but alcohol affects people in different ways so always use your own judgement. Always allow time for any alcohol to work its way out of your system before attempting to drive.

The dangers of drink driving are apparent in the statistics. One in six road deaths involve a driver who was over the legal limit at the time. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as nearly a third of a million deaths or injuries for UK roads as a whole are caused by a crash with a drunk driver. Those with even small amounts of alcohol in their systems are affected by poorer judgement, slower reactions and less spatial awareness than a completely sober driver.

Technology consisting of Electronic Screening Devices is the main weapon in the fight against drink drivers. Police have the power to stop and breathalyse anyone they suspect of this crime, especially during the Christmas party period, when many people make the mistake of thinking they have sobered up the morning after a night of heavy drinking. Even if you are not over the legal limit with a blood alcohol content of 50mg-80mg, your reactions will still be impaired, and you are assumed by the British Medical Association (BMA) to be part of the hidden cause of many accidents.

You will be treated exactly the same way as a knowingly drunk driver if found with to be above the limit, which means you will face a minimum 12 month driving ban, which could have disastrous effects on your life. Don’t put yourself at risk if you know you have to travel the next morning.

If you have committed one of the manytraffic offences get legal advice from a speeding solicitor


Driving Bans: The Facts

July 26th, 2010

A ban from driving can sometimes mean a permanent ban, but depending on the severity of your crime or crimes a disqualification can range from a one year ban to ten years off the road.

When the offence is less severe you may be required to serve a Short Period Disqualification (SPD) which is less than 56 days. You will need to give your licence to the court for the period of time and a permanent record will be made but it will not be surrendered, you will not be required to retake a test and you can start driving once the SPD has expired.

When a full license disqualification has been enforced, you are able to apply for a license again, and there are specific forms for this both at the post office and online. At this point you will receive a provisional licence and then you will be requires to take the theory, hazard and practical tests.

Once your full license has been reinstated, the endorsements (points) which you were given will still remain, until a magistrate advises you otherwise, at which point you will appear in court to make a case for removal.

In some extended bans, you may not be banned for the duration, as the courts have been known to allow a driver to serve half their disqualification if they have taken appropriate steps to ensure that after the disqualification period they will be a more responsible driver, such as taking a driving rehabilitation course. The duration of a ban may also be reduced if personal circumstances are taken into account by the court and it is clear that the impact of the ban would be detrimental to the motorist’s career or family life.

For bans longer than 2 years you can apply after half the proposed disqualification period, for example for a ban of 6 years you can apply after 3. If you made other offences, driving or otherwise, since your disqualification the court will immediately dismiss your application. If you are caught driving whilst banned you will face a custodial sentence and a hefty fine.

For more information on a drink driving offence and other motoring offences, see oliver & Co’s site, where their driving offence lawyer keeps the site up to date with legal news.


Motoring Offences And Their Penalties

July 24th, 2010

The UK has an abundance of road laws, and if you’re a driver on the UKs roads then chances you have at some point fell fowl of one of them. Surprisingly most of the UKs drivers are not actually aware of what they are being charged with and why when they are stopped. In this article, you will find a short list of the most widespread traffic offences, shedding light on the details and penalties you can look forward to for some of the more frequent motoring offences.

Speeding or exceeding the speed limit: The offence here is clearly defined as ‘Driving on a road exceeding the prescribed speed limit’. For this type of motoring offence you can expect a 60 fine up to a maximum of 1000 and an endorsement of 3-6 points on your licence, and a discretionary disqualification also applies. If you are driving at more than 30 miles an hour over the speed limit then you are likely to be disqualified.

If caught speeding and you are offered a fixed penalty then you are almost certainly best off in the long run to take this option as the compulsory fine is likely to be less than what any court would inflict. On the other hand if you do decide to contest a speeding fine, then possible reasons consist of; you were simply not speeding, it wasn’t you driving, or that you were driving an exempt means of transport due to emergency.

Failing to stop: This crime is clear; ‘A driver of a mechanically propelled means of transport in attendance when a road traffic accident occurred where personal injury or damage was caused to another person and or vehicle’. Further to this, if you also fail to stop after injuring an animal not in the vehicle or properties on or near the road and fail to stop then you break the above law. Penalties for this type of offence are strict, with at least 6 months in jail and a fine of a 5000 likely.

Motorway speeding: if you are caught exceeding the national speed limit in the UK on a motorway then the maximum penalty is a fine of 2500 and six driving licence points. If you a caught in excess of 100mph then the probably outcome is a ban coupled with the fine.

If you have been given a Drink Driving Ban, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving expert Driving Solicitors.


Britain’s Most Lucrative Speed Camera

July 12th, 2010

It has materialised that a new speed camera erected on a road where there has been just one severe accident in over ten years, has brought in over 1.3m pound in profits from speeding motorists per year. It has been daubed Britain’s most lucrative speed camera and has been named and shamed by an angry local community.

The controversial camera, which has been described as one of the most lucrative in Britain, has captured on average 1,843 motorists per month. And with the average fine for speeding 60, that equates to 1,327,140 each year.

The cameras location is Poole in Dorset on a 30mph section of road on a dual carriageway. The camera was initially erected to catch motorists jumping the red lights nearby; however the camera has since been converted to also trigger when motorists speed through the green light and is one of the first in the country to do so.

Official statistics show that only one serious accident has taken place on this road in over ten years with no fatalities. This has led to fears by motoring groups who are concerned that the only reason the camera has been converted is to ‘milk the motorist’, they also believe the low 30mph speed limit on a dual carriageway that usually commands a 40mph limit adds to the high number of issued tickets.

As a result of the cameras positions, the low speed limit and the fact it works regardless of green or red lights, drivers who thought they were driving legally have been caught travelling just a few miles over the limit. The road the camera is situated upon is a wide dual carriageway, with an industrial estate on one side, and a harbour on the other. The revenue generated by this one camera dwarfs the amount generated by other cameras, delivering evidence that something is seriously wrong with the setup.

A temporary Camera at road works on the A1139 in Peterborough earlier this year was, on average issuing 3000 tickets per month, generating 3.2m per year.

If you have been given a Drink Driving Ban, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving expert Driving Offence Solicitors.


Pensioner On Drunk Driving Rap

June 20th, 2010

An elderly disabled pensioner has been arrested and convicted of dink driving whilst speeding at 4mph on his mobility scooter. He was arrested after 8 policemen in three cars made the road side stop.

The man was pulled over when he failed to stop after being ‘blue lighted’ by police. Police then took further action which resulted in one car mounting the pavement to block the driver’s path. Only then were police able to seize the vehicles keys.

The disabled pensioner, who has the scooter thanks to blocked arteries in his legs, was pulled over after an evening playing dominoes with his friends and had consumed around six or seven pints before setting off home.

The pensioner was understandably shaken and somewhat peeved after the incident, he commented “I can’t believe how they treated me – anybody would think that I was a bank robber or a member of Al-Qaeda,” Donohoe told the Daily Mail. The pensioner was kept in police cells for 12 hours, fingerprinted and had his DNA taken.

He continued; “They must have known, like I did, that the rules of the road don’t apply when you’re riding a mobility scooter down the pavement at three and a half miles an hour, but it didn’t seem to matter one jot.”I didn’t stop at first because I wanted to get home, and I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

Mr Donohoe was found to be three times over the legal UK drink driving limit after he failed a roadside breath test. He has been banned from driving; however he has not been banned from driving his mobility scooter as it is not actually classed as car.

There are several unusual cases of drink driving, including a milk man charge with driving his float whilst under the influence and a Welsh rugby player driving a golf buggy down a busy motorway.

If you have been convicted of Speeding, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving expert Speeding Solicitors.


Apply The Brakes To Drink Driving

June 14th, 2010

1 in ten deaths on UK roads are caused by drunk drivers, and in 2008 269 of these where a direct result of drivers being found over the limit. There where over 11,000 recorded drink or drug related incidents in the UK in 2008.

The road safety charity, Brake, has recently conducted some research into these findings. The findings reveal that up to 14 per cent of these incidents are caused by driver ‘at work’. An ‘at work’ driver is one that attends a meeting or corporate event and consumes alcohol before getting back behind the wheel either same day or the morning after.

The at work drivers admitted to consuming up to three times the legal drink drive limit before taking control of their vehicle, when in comparison just 6 percent of other driver made the same claim.

The findings from the research should get managers thinking about the role they play and the responsibilities they have to their employees the next time an event, ceremony or marketing conference or other ‘off site’ event is organized. Many of our UK workforces have attended such an event, where the common procedure is to consume alcohol after the meeting or event is wrapped up.

It is of course the responsibility of the individual to retrain themselves with regards to alcohol consumption; however the managers can play a role in organizing public transport to and from the event, and even allowing the employee the morning off work the day after the event.

Brake is doing its bit by launching a new campaign called ‘Face Facts’. Posters and e-guides are available to assist managers in alerting company drivers of the risks of drunk driving.

If you have been convicted of speeding, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving Road Traffic Solicitors.


Arrested For Drunk Driving Behind The Wheel Of A Bus

June 11th, 2010

Passengers on board a Blustar-run bus have spoken of their shock after the driver of the vehicle was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

25 passengers were on board the double decker bus, ran by Blustar at the time of the incident. The passengers onboard included children and elderly people when the police pulled over the vehicle before breathalysing and then arresting the driver for drunk driving.

One shocked passenger who does not want to be named commented: “We couldn’t hear the police officers after they had stormed in and were talking to the driver. We all panicked but did not know what to think. We just didn’t have a clue what was happening when we saw the blue flashing lights.”

One passenger travelling on the bus said: “We just didn’t have a clue what was happening when we saw the blue flashing lights. We all panicked but did not know what to think. We couldn’t hear the police officers after they had stormed in and were talking to the driver.

After the driver had been detained by police, the company sent over a replacement drive that arrived within minutes. Chris Harris, public relations manager at Blustar said because of the serious nature of the incident the employee was suspended immediately.

He continued:” The consumption of alcohol while on duty or reporting for duty while under the influence of alcohol is expressly forbidden. It is a strict rule that all Bluestar employees are required to be completely sober at all times when on duty. ”

It is important that companies such as Bluestar act quickly in response to drink driving allegations in order to reassure customers and take potentially dangerous drivers off the road. The safety of passengers aboard Blustar vehicles is paramount to their operations, so it is important to reassure passengers through swift response to issues such as this one that they are willing to do what is necessary to ensure safety.

The driver has been bailed until later in the year.

If you have been convicted of drink driving and been given a Driving Ban, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving expert Road Traffic Solicitors.


Driver Blames UFO To Get Off Paying A Parking Fine

May 30th, 2010

Are you one of the many UK motorists that believe they have been the victim of an unfair motoring charge? If you are currently nodding your head, then don’t despair, try using one of these genuine explanations given to one London borough council in the hope, albeit slim, that you may be able to overturn your motoring conviction.

However, you can’t blame them for trying as fines for illegal parking in the City of London reach an incredible 120 per ticket. Furthermore, if you do have a valid pay and display ticket, remember to remove your previous day’s ticket, as they will also fine you for that!

One of the more inventive motorists, trying to avoid a fine for driving in a bus lane came up with a UFO for his failure to pay his fine. The driver was so captivated by what he described as a UFO he inadvertently drove into the bus lane and was subsequently fined.

Are you colour blind? If so you may want to try this one; another unjustifiably fined motorist stated that they were unable to distinguish colour, and the yellow line they were parked upon was actually green at the time.

A spokesperson for the London borough for Southwark Council said that the imagination of some motorists was “quite impressive”. Some of the other reasons submitted by desperate motorists include “It was raining. I thought I could park anywhere if the weather was bad.” Another fined driver stated: “I don’t know what the yellow lines mean.”

Director of environment and housing at Southwark Council, Gill Davies said: “The imagination of some of these drivers is quite impressive, but UFOs and colour blindness unfortunately do not count as legitimate reasons to overturn a ticket.”

Director of environment and housing at Southwark Council, Gill Davies said: “The imagination of some of these drivers is quite impressive, but UFOs and colour blindness unfortunately do not count as legitimate reasons to overturn a ticket.”

Westminster City Council has recently stated those of us that park illegally in central London could receive written or verbal warnings instead of the current 120 fine.

Need a Motoring Lawyer? Then visit Freeman Keep On Driving to find expertMotoring Lawyers.