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Traffic Law » Drink Driving

Streeton Lawyers has extensive experience in all aspects of traffic law.

Drink driving offences range in severity from fine only offences to offences carrying significant periods of imprisonment and lengthy disqualifications. Select here for more information.

Low range drink driving is a very prevalent offence in NSW.  The penalties for low range drink driving are less serious than mid and high range, as there is no term of imprisonment. However, upon conviction an offender will be required to serve a period of disqualification. The penalties increase if the offence is a… Read more »

Drink driving offences, whilst serious in nature, are not uncommon in New South Wales. Oftentimes those facing a charge of drink driving have never come into contact with the courts before. This can be a daunting experience however help from the experienced mid range drink driving lawyers at Streeton Lawyers can help you navigate the… Read more »

Driving with a high range prescribed concentration of alcohol is the most serious drink driving offence in NSW. To be charged with driving within the high range, you must return a breath analysis of 0.15 or over. After being charged, will be issued an immediate suspension of your licence by police. This means you cannot… Read more »

Offence Blood Alcohol Automatic Disqualification Minimum Disqualification Novice Range 0.00 to under 0.02 6 months 3 months Special Range 0.02 to under 0.05 6 months 3 months Low Range 0.05 to under 0.08 6 months 3 months Mid Range 0.08 to under 0.15 12 months 6 months High Range 0.15 and above 3 years 12… Read more »

The Interlock Program was first introduced in 2003 as a penalty option for Magistrates when sentencing persons charged with serious drink driving offences. However, new laws passed in February 2015 have made the Interlock Program mandatory under certain circumstances.

The penalties for drink driving depend on the level of alcohol measured in the blood system. The following table sets out the level of alcohol for each offence, as well as the penalties upon conviction. First offence penalties Offence Blood Alcohol Maximum Penalty Automatic Disqualification Minimum Disqualification Interlock Novice Range 0.00 to 0.02 $1,100 6 months… Read more »

Special range drink driving applies to drivers who must maintain a zero alcohol limit, such as P1 and P2 provisional licence holders, or professional drivers such as taxi and bus drivers, who have an alcohol limit of 0.02. To be charged with special range, a driver must return a breath analysis reading between 0.02 and… Read more »

Novice range drink driving applies to drivers who must maintain a zero alcohol limit, such as P1 and P2 provisional licence holders. To be charged with novice range, a driver must return a breath analysis reading above 0.00 and up to 0.019. Police then have the discretion to provide a driver with an infringement notice… Read more »

Police may ask you to take a breath test or analysis if you are driving a motor vehicle on a road, occupying the driver’s seat and attempting to start to a motor vehicle or supervising a learner driver on the road. If you fail a breath test you will be most likely asked to take… Read more »

To act as a guide to lower courts when sentencing offenders charged with high-range PCA, the NSW Supreme Court set out a Guideline Judgment. Although the Guideline Judgment is in relation to offenders found guilty of high-range PCA, courts often refer to the principles and comments made by the judges in the Guideline Judgment when… Read more »