Dangerous Driving

Dangerous Driving

At Watson Woodhouse we have a team of specialist dangerous driving solicitors available to help if you’ve been charged with or suspected of this offence. If arrested or interviewed as a volunteer under caution you are entitled to free, independent advice from a solicitor of your choice. To discuss allegations of dangerous driving, contact our experts today.

Dealt with in the Crown Court, dangerous driving is a serious criminal offence, potentially holding severe consequences. Maximum sentences include two years’ prison, a minimum, mandatory 12 month disqualification and a requirement to take an extended retest.

Dangerous Driving Solicitor Costs

The majority of dangerous driving cases requiring legal advice and representation are available at a fixed cost plus travel expenses. For more complex cases, fees will be agreed before taking instruction to proceed. Our fixed costs do not include the following:

• Expert reports
• Tracing witnesses
• Guilty plea

If you intend to plead guilty, our fee is determined by how straightforward the arguments are to mitigate the sentence applied. Arguments relating to special circumstances or exceptional hardship are likely to be more complex, as are arguments which involve witnesses. A straightforward case is charged at £360 (Including VAT at 20%) with the more complex at £600 (Including VAT at 20%). A trial lasting up to an hour and a half with a straightforward not guilty plea is charged at £600 (Including VAT at 20%). Half-day trials are charged at £900 (Including VAT at 20%) with full days £1200 (Including VAT at 20%).

If pleading not guilty, charges are determined by expected length and trial complexity. Length is affected by the following:

• Number of witnesses
• Number of offence charges
• Requirement of expert evidence

Costs may increase should a defence witness need to be traced and interviewed, expert advice is required or an unusual aspect of law arises.

Dangerous Driving Case Stages

The majority of dangerous driving offences result in the receipt of a Single Justice Procedure notice, required for you to complete. Alternatively you may receive a summons or postal requisition with a court date or be charged by the Police directly to Court from the Police Station. A trial is usually listed two to four months after the initial court appearance or the not guilty plea is indicated by the Single Justice Procedure notice. Timescales vary between courts.

During an initial meeting we’ll advise available options, procedure, take instructions and obtain evidence. From here we’ll represent you at the first hearing. From here your solicitor deals with all case management including a meeting to discuss the case, advice on evidence and plea and court liaison. Preparing your case for trial, we’ll present arguments on your behalf and cross-examine any witnesses.