Forrest Williams - 24 Hour Motoring Lawyers

Under-age Drink Driving Solicitors

Posted on: November 12th, 2014 by steve

Teenage Drink-Driving

In a recent review of Hampshire’s drink-driving statistics, it has been revealed that a rather significant and surprising number of offenders were under the age of 18.

In Hampshire, it was discovered that between 2008 and 2013, there were 276 underage drink-drivers caught, and of those, 74 of them were under the age of 16. It has been described by various children’s charities as ‘terrifying’.

The worst area in the country affected by underage drink-driving was Greater Manchester with a staggering 409 under-18s being arrested for drink-driving.

The youngest offender of this crime was, shockingly, aged only 11, from the Thames Valley area.

Marolin Watson, from the charity Hope UK, which provides drug and alcohol training and advice to children, said: “Children who drink are endangering their health and setting themselves up for early liver disease, with all its very unpleasant consequences.”

A lot of people don’t understand that you can be banned from driving even before you have passed your test. The penalties for drink driving differ for people under 18 but the disqualification remains the same. The penalties will depend on whether you have any previous offences of any nature but the threat of prison can remain in certain circumstances.

Even if you are underage and don’t have a licence you can also argue special reasons for not being disqualified, see our Special Reasons page.

For details on how we can help mitigate any penalty see our Drink Driving home page –

HAVE YOU OR YOUR CHILD BEEN CHARGED WITH DRINK DRIVING?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

We are grateful to Alex Moore, who recently joined us for work experience, for this blog post.

Dangerous Driving Motorcyclist Jailed

Posted on: November 11th, 2014 by steve

Motorcyclist Reaches 135mph While Attempting to Escape the Police

Jed Ogilvie, 25, of Paignton, Devon was seen weaving between cars at incredibly high speeds on the very busy A38, in Plymouth. Police clocked his speed at 135mph, nearly twice the legal limit while pursuing him, during which time he jumped a red light and sped across a roundabout before heading off the A38 into Embankment Road.

Ogilvie managed to outrun the squad cars chasing after him, however when he tried to undertake a car he slammed into the side of the vehicle, throwing him off his bike.

The driver of the car got out to help him, but Ogilvie climbed back onto his bike and said, “Don’t call the police, don’t get them involved – I will pay for it”

He was then about to speed away when two shop workers, who had watched the incident, held him back long enough for the police to arrive at the scene.

Ogilvie was arrested for possessing a class C drug; driving a motor vehicle dangerously; using a vehicle without insurance and riding without a license. He was jailed for a total of 12 months.

He was also banned from the road for two years.

The judge said Ogilvie maintained a “sustained period of extremely dangerous driving” before colliding with a car and then attempting to flee the scene.

Forrest Williams, specialist Motoring Solicitors commented –

Drink Driving carries a mandatory 12 months disqualification and often leads to imprisonment. You will also have to pass an extended re test. Dangerous Driving is defined in section 2A of the RTA 1988 as “the standard of driving falls 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 that way would be dangerous.”

Sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate dangerous driving from careless driving. In effect it is simply how far below the expected standard of driving the driving was. The penalties are very different. You cannot go to prison for careless driving and there is not an obligatory disqualification although the court can impose a disqualification they can also impose penalty points instead.

It is important to get expert advice on this. We may be able to persuade the prosecution to reduces the charges to careless driving or if appropriate we can plead Not Guilty and defend you at trial.

For more information look at our Dangerous Driving page.

ARE YOU FACING A DANGEROUS DRIVING CHARGE?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

We are very grateful to Alex Moore, who recently joined us for work experience, for this blog post.

Driving Ban Imposed For 86 Year Old Grandmother

Posted on: November 10th, 2014 by steve

86 Years Old: Oldest Driver in Britain to Receive a Ban

86-year-old mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Norah Lawley, recently became the oldest person in Britain ever to receive a driving ban. It came about after she was caught driving over the speed limit for the fifth time. She had been travelling at 43mph in a 30mph zone and was caught in exactly the same place that she had been for two of her other speeding offences. The three cases of driving above the speed limit meant that Norah totted up a total of more than 12 points on her license, resulting in a ban of six months.

Mrs Lawley said, “I don’t want everybody to know about it” and that she was ‘ashamed’ about the whole situation.

The judge endorsed Lawley’s licence with four additional penalty points, resulting in a total of 13, and fined her £200 and ordered her to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Norah Lawley was also, unusually, ordered to re-take her driving test after she has completed her ban.

The retired primary school teacher said: “My main concern is how I get about for the next six months because I like to go to church and sing in the choir.

“Luckily I have lots of friends and family who have kindly offered to give me lifts but I am used to being independent and I don’t really like the idea of being a burden on anyone.

“I fully intend to retake my driving test after the ban and get back on the road as soon as possible.”

Katie Forrest of Forrest Williams Solicitors said –

“The only way that you can avoid a disqualification once you reach 12 points is to satisfy the court that you, or others, would suffer from exceptional hardship. This can include such things as loss of job or if someone else with poor health relies on your driving for their mobility.

If you need further information on the position when you reach 12 points see our Totting Up page.

ARE YOU FACING A SPEEDING CHARGE?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

We are grateful to Alex Moore, who recently joined us for work experience, for this blog post.

Motoring Advice Blog

Under-age Drink Driving Solicitors

HAVE YOU OR YOUR CHILD BEEN CHARGED WITH DRINK DRIVING?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

Dangerous Driving Motorcyclist Jailed

ARE YOU FACING A DANGEROUS DRIVING CHARGE?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

Driving Ban Imposed For 86 Year Old Grandmother

ARE YOU FACING A SPEEDING CHARGE?

CALL US NOW FOR ADVICE ON 01623 397200

Forrest Williams TV