Posts Tagged ‘licence’

Getting Back On The Road After A Ban

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
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If you reach the highest number of penalty points allowed on a driving licence or have committed an offence that was considered by the courts to have put the lives of others at risk you will most likely lose your driving licence.

A disqualification from driving can range from one year to ten years depending on the severity of the offence. There are also cases where a judge will rule that the offender should serve a lifetime disqualification to avoid putting the lives of others at risk.

When offences are less severe, offenders may be required to serve a Short Period Disqualification (SPD) which is less than fifty six days. The court will keep your driving licence for the duration of the period but it will not be revoked, you will not need to retake a test and you can start driving once the SPD has expired.

If you have lost your licence you may reapply after the period of the disqualification which can be done by filling in the correct forms available online or at a post office. This will only get you a provisional driving licence so you can apply to re-take the theory, hazard perception and practical test.

The endorsements of a disqualification will remain on a licence unless otherwise instructed by a magistrate for which you will need to appear and present your case for removal.

For full disqualifications it is possible for drivers to apply to for their licence earlier than the expiry of the disqualification. However, this is dependant on the individual circumstances of the driver and the length of the ban.

If a driver has undertaken driving improvement courses or other steps to ensure safer driving once qualified, they may be allowed by a court to only serve half their disqualification. The effect of the ban on an individual’s family life or career may also affect the court’s decision.

Driving bans exceeding 2 years may be overturned after half the proposed disqualification period, for example for a ban of 10 years you can apply after 5. If you re-offended, driving or otherwise, since your disqualification there is no hope of overturning a ban and if you drive whilst banned you may face a custodial sentence and a hefty fine.

If you need advice on speeding, then visit Nick Freeman’s site if you believe you may experience exceptional hardship as a result of losing your licence.

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UK Drivers Set To Face Lower Drink Drive Limit

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

There is mounting pressure for the Government to reduce the legal blood alcohol level for drivers in the UK. The current limit permits 80mg per 100ml of blood, roughly a pint and a half of medium strength lager for an average sized man. The proposed limit would bring it down to 50mg per 100ml of blood which is little more than half a pint or a large glass of wine which is in line with the European Union limit.

Sir Peter North remarked that ”Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still leads to a large number of deaths and serious injuries. The challenge is to see whether changes in the law and its processes can reduce casualties.”

At the moment, any driver caught in use of a vehicle over the legal limit faces an automatic 12 month driving ban but Sir Peter North QC is currently reviewing the case to introduce a lesser penalty for a lower limit such as 6 points on a driving licence. There are also proposed plans to implement prosecutions for drivers found with illegal drugs in their bloodstream, regardless of whether it impaired their performance.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has proved that over 400 people a year are killed as a result of drink driving but this figure does not reflect any incidents where drivers were above the proposed lower limit. He also suggests drug-driving is a key concern for the public.

Peter North QC added: ”Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs still leads to a large number of deaths and serious injuries. The challenge is to see whether changes in the law and its processes can reduce casualties.”

But the plans are not welcomed by everyone, Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations condemned the proposals, “We will fight this very very strongly,” he said. “This will penalise responsible people because of the behaviour of some idiots.

Thousands of drivers each year are convicted of a drink driving offence but even more are convicted, with lower penalties, of a speeding offence, something that causes many more fatalities each year.

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100m Speed Cameras Could Be Illegal!

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

UK drivers have heavily criticised the government and authorities over the legality of many of their speed cameras. Although the devices are intended as a ‘deterrent’ from speeding to improve road safety, many dispute that they are simply intended as a revenue system for the government. speed cameras have generated over 100m in the UK In the past year alone.

Many consider traffic police and councils to be taking advantage of vague boundaries and there are many arguments against both fixed speed cameras and mobile units. Activists have also pointed out that new digital systems are open to tampering and citizens would have no leg to stand on when falsely accused.

The placement and visibility of fixed cameras has been heavily criticized. Many cameras are deliberately located behind large street signs, trees or walls and remain invisible to motorists until it is too late. Under UK law, speed cameras MUST be in place as a visual deterrent and not an entrapment device, something that cannot be possible if they are obscured from view. If the speed limit is 40mph or less, they must be visible from 60m, 100m over 40mph.

Mobile speed cameras have seen increasing use but despite a strict set of rules and regulations, there is much evidence that officers have been working unlawfully to increase revenue. Even if a driver is caught speeding and believes the camera which spotted them was placed illegally they cannot appeal without evidence and even if they do it probably wont get them anywhere. Many websites have popped up with pictures of camera vans parked on pavements with double yellow lines, hidden around bends, in the way of pedestrians and blocking entrances to properties, the aims is to fight against illegal entrapment.

A change in legislation in 1992 saw that any new speed camera would need to be approved by parliament but reportedly none of the 6000 speed cameras set up since then have acquired the essential approval. This means that practically every single speeding ticket issue in the UK since 1992 could be illegal and all evidence collected on the roads could be dismissed.

If you feel you have been wrongly accused of speeding or simply disagree with the use of speed cameras and you want to keep on driving then visit Freemankeepondriving.com for the best advice on speeding.

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