Special reasons allow you either reduce the level of your driving ban or to keep driving avoiding a ban altogether even after you have admitted or been convicted of an offence of drink driving. In order to establish special reasons the defence must call evidence to support their application and must be established by the defence unlike normal criminal charges where the prosecution must disprove a defence.

In a special reasons hearing the court will consider a number of factors about the driving including the manner of driving, the reason for driving and the possibility of danger.

The special reasons must actually attach to the offence of drink driving itself and must be something that is not a defence in law to the charge but is a mitigating feature connected with the driving of the vehicle that the court should take into consideration in the sentencing process.

Special reasons are an excellent way of staying on the road following a drink driving conviction although specialist legal advice should be sought to see whether you legally qualify under the various tests. See Quentin’s driving experience for how he can help you.