DUI & Dangerous Driving Offences
What is a Criminal Driving Offence?
- Hit and Run
- Dangerous Driving
- Driving While Unauthorized
- Impaired Driving (DUI or Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol)
- Driving with a Blood Alcohol Level at or Over .08
- Refusing to Provide a Breath Sample
- Impaired Care and Control of a Motor Vehicle (this can be impairment by drug or alcohol), and
- Having Care and Control of a Motor Vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Level at or Over .08
There are also separate, more serious offences that you may be charged with if your case involves death or bodily harm. These are criminal offences and they are different from traffic tickets or provincial regulatory offences.
Potential Consequences of a Criminal Driving offence
If you are convicted of a DUI or other criminal driving offence, the consequences can be significant. In addition to having a criminal record, you could face high fines, a lengthy driving prohibition, the installation of an Interloc device (blow box) in your vehicle, huge increases in insurance rates and even incarceration.
Questions and help on DUI / Criminal Driving offences
Do I have a defence?
How can we help?
Properly defending DUIs and other criminal driving cases requires expertise and experience. The offences themselves are highly technical and there is a massive body of case law that applies specifically to this area. Choosing a lawyer with extensive and up to date knowledge of criminal driving law and the relevant Charter litigation is key.
Every case requires a careful review to identify all of the relevant legal issues and determine the possible defences. You are entitled to review all of the Crown’s case against you and obtain legal advice before deciding whether or not to plead guilty. We understand that a criminal charge and the loss of your license is tremendously difficult to deal with. We will meet with you as quickly as possible to help you assess the strength and weaknesses of your case so that you can make the best decision.
Merv successfully defends criminal driving cases each year. If you are charged with a criminal driving offence, please contact Merv for a free initial consultation.