Reducing A 3 Year Ban For Failing To Provide

Hi,

I got a driving ban for failing to provide, it's my seccond drink driving related ban. The first I blew over and the second I was following my solicitor's advice of not doing anything until speaking to a solicitor. I have served a year of it, but now really want my licence back for work purposes. Is there any way to reduce it? I don't really want to go back to court but would do the alchohol awareness courses.

Question by Paul Gibson on 14th Jun 2009 at 14:57

Paul,

There are two ways to reduce a drink driving ban. The first one is through the rehab course for drink driving but you need to have been referred to enroll on that course. It seems the court did not refer you to do that course (or you didn't take it at the time of sentencing) so you will not be able to reduce your ban this way. The second way is basically under Section 42 of

the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

. Depending on the length of the driving ban, you are allowed to request your driving licence back after a certain period of time. In your case, because you are on a 3 year drink driving ban, you can request your licence after serving 2 years of the ban. This is done by requesting your licence from the court which sentenced you. The court will take into consideration the driving history of the person looking to get his licence earlier than the ban term and whether there's a valid reaason to remove the ban earlier before making a decision on whether it is safe to let the person have their licence back. Since it's a second offence for you, it may very well work against you but there's no harm in getting in touch with the court after the 2 year period.

Answer by Gices on 15th Jun 2009 at 13:55