Yes, you can. The drink-drive rehabilitation scheme course allows a court to offer a reduction in the length of a disqualification imposed for a drink-driving offence.
Legal basis:
The power comes from sections 34A to 34C of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. When a court disqualifies a person for a relevant drink-driving offence, it may order that the period of disqualification will be reduced if the offender satisfactorily completes an approved course.
How the reduction works:
The court specifies a reduced period of disqualification at the time of sentencing. The reduction can be at least three months but no more than one quarter of the total ban. So for example, if you receive a 12-month ban, the court may specify that the ban will be reduced by up to three months if you complete the course, meaning you could get your licence back after nine months. For a 24-month ban, the maximum reduction would be six months.
The course must be completed by a date specified by the court. If you do not complete it in time, or do not complete it satisfactorily, the full disqualification period applies.
Key points to be aware of:
1. The court is not obliged to offer the course. It is discretionary. However, courts routinely do offer it for standard drink-driving offences.
2. You must pay for the course yourself. Costs typically range from around 150 to 250 pounds depending on the provider and area.
3. The course usually involves several sessions spread over a period of weeks, covering topics such as the effects of alcohol, legal limits, and strategies to avoid reoffending.
4. If you have completed a drink-drive rehabilitation course in the three years before the current offence, the court cannot offer it again.
5. The offer is normally made at the sentencing hearing. If the court does not mention it, your solicitor or you (if unrepresented) can ask the court to consider it.
6. Once you have completed the course, the course provider notifies the DVLA, and you can then apply to have your licence returned at the earlier date.
Practical advice:
If you are facing a drink-driving charge and the court offers the course, it is almost always worth accepting. The financial cost is modest compared to the benefit of getting back on the road sooner. Make sure you book and complete the course well within the deadline the court sets, because there is no extension if you miss it.
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